


you're my kind of different

by presston (kelleysohara)



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-01-17 13:31:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 47,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12366804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelleysohara/pseuds/presston
Summary: Tobin Heath was happy with her life.She was a star midfielder for LAFC and the USWNT, she had supportive family and the best friends she could have asked for, she had a wild social life but she didn’t have somebody to love; it wasn’t for the want of her trying, there had been everything from wild flings to serious relationships that prompted the possibility of marriage, but ultimately Tobin was alone in that sense, but she was more than happy with it.or, Alex is a grade A schemer and uses her beloved dog Riley to help bring two of her friends together





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is just a disclaimer; i am in no way promoting animal cruelty with the premise behind Alex's scheme; this was merely an idea that i twisted from a similar dream my sister had, so, i just wanted to tell you that before it starts and after the first chapter, the scheme barely gets mentioned; once or twice here and there, maybe, but i'm just writing this before anybody starts yelling telling me i'm promoting animal cruelty,
> 
> thank you for understanding.

Tobin Heath was happy with her life.

 

She was a star midfielder for LAFC and the USWNT, she had supportive family and the best friends she could have asked for, she had a wild social life but she didn’t have somebody to love; it wasn’t for the want of her trying, there had been everything from wild flings to serious relationships that prompted the possibility of marriage, but ultimately Tobin was alone in that sense, but she was more than happy with it; her friends on the other hand, not so much.

 

“She needs to find someone,” Alex huffed out over dinner, teal painted nails tapping against the side of the glass of water, “Nobody is happy alone.”

 

“Speak for yourself.” Kelley scoffed, leaning back in her chair. “I’m alone, and I’m happy.”

 

“You were crying at the Titanic, alone in bed, with an empty box of chocolates last night.” Alex reminded her, smirking when Kelley’s cheeks turned crimson, but that didn’t deter the striker turned defender;

 

“Tobin is just Tobin – she’s happy alone, drop it.” Kelley cut short the conversation and pulled the menu in front of her face to scan the list of pastas.

 

“What about Christen?”

 

“What _about_ Christen?” Kelley asks, peeking over the top of the menu; her interest peaking at the name of her best friend from college. Alex hesitated allowing the all-so-familiar scheming smile to appear on her face, and Kelley’s face drops when she catches on to Alex’s train of thought. “Absolutely not.” She deadpans, “You are not setting Tobin and Christen up.”

 

“Give me one good reason why, Kel.” Alex pushes, and it causes a heaving sigh to escape the freckled woman’s lips as she places the menu flat on the table.

 

“Christen is my friend, Alex.” Kelley finally says

 

“So? Tobin’s your friend too.” Alex shoots back

 

“The answer is no, you’re not setting them up.” Kelley tries to end the topic, but Alex isn’t giving up that easily, in fact; Alex being the schemer she is, has been thinking about setting Christen and Tobin up for the last six months; and with Christen now single (and having waited an appropriate period of time between the rebound stage and I’m ready to start dating again), Alex feels now is better than any other time to put her scheming to good use, but if she could only get Kelley to agree, and Kelley catches Alex staring at her, impatiently. “Alex if you don’t give up this crazy idea, I’ll tell Allie.”

 

It wasn’t so much of a threat, it’s just out of the four roommates; Allie Long was the most mature on a process of elimination.

 

“Allie agrees!” Alex exclaims receiving pointed stares and heads turning to look at the table in the corner of the restaurant. “Allie thinks Tobin needs to meet someone, hell, none of us are getting any younger.” Alex continues, clearly exasperated.

 

“Speak for yourself.” Kelley chuckles, gesturing to herself, “I just don’t understand why you’re so wound up over Tobin dating, shouldn’t you be focused on your own?” Kelley teases, taking a sip of water and winking over to the other brunette. Alex rolls her eyes, leaning further back in her chair as she absentmindedly taps against the edge of the hardwood table.

 

“I’ve got my eyes on somebody…” Alex trails off, and again, Kelley’s interest is peaked.

 

“Alex Morgan chasing somebody? Isn’t this a first?” Kelley laughs, and she ignores the uneasy feeling bubbling in her stomach, placing it down to the fact that the pair had been in the restaurant for nearly thirty minutes and hadn’t yet ordered anything for dinner.

 

“I date!” Alex protests, again too loudly for the confined space that they are in. “I just don’t do it often.”

 

“And the reason for that is because you’re so obsessed with your friends’ relationships?” Kelley wonders, cocking her eyebrow,

 

“You’re just jealous that I’m not interested in your dating life.” Alex shoots back, feeling satisfied when Kelley takes too long to offer up a response.

 

“Whatever helps you sleep at night. Can we order now?” Kelley whines, pointing at the menu.

 

“Sure Kel.”

 

They are both more than a little tipsy after returning back to the house after lunch, and Kelley places the blame on the second pitcher of margaritas, she stumbles into the house first, and after a quick shout and no response; she’s sure that they are the only two here, well except for Alex’s beloved Golden Retriever, Riley who comes bounding towards the front door when he hears the two women return home.

 

“H-Hey buddy.” Alex grins a lopsided smile as she falls to her knees, scratching behind the dog’s ears, and hugging him close to her, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “That’s my good – boy.” Alex mumbles into his fair before clumsily pulling herself to her feet and following Kelley into the living room where the defender has already kicked her shoes off and collapsed onto the couch with the remote in her hand. Alex follows suit and Riley jumps in-between the pair, resting his head atop of Alex’s thigh.

 

They both settle on a rerun of Say Yes To The Dress and it takes two and a half episodes and an hour of scratching behind the dog’s ears for an idea to spring to Alex’s mind, and she excitedly slaps Kelley’s arm, bringing the older woman (unhappily) out of her almost slumber to glare at her.

 

“What the fuck Al? Get off.” Kelley pushes Alex’s hand off her, moody from her disturbed attempt at sleep.

 

“I just had the best idea ever. I’m a genius Kelley and Tobin is going to love me for it.”

 

“I find that incredibly hard to believe.” Kelley scoffs, rolling her eyes but that doesn’t put Alex off,

 

“I know it’s going to work, I don’t know why I never thought of it before.” Alex is in a slight instance of shock

 

“Wake me up when it crashes and burns, okay?” Kelley yawns as she tosses the remote into Alex’s hand.

 

“It’s gonna’ work.” Alex mutters, determinedly

 

                                                                                                                  *****

 

Alex sifts through the cupboards, humming and furrowing her eyebrows; she was a hundred percent sure it was somewhere in one the cupboards; Riley is scratching at her ankle, impatiently waiting for his food when Alex catches a glimpse of it; she pulls out the long out-of-date can of dog food,

 

“I knew there was a reason I didn’t throw this away.” Alex grins triumphantly, swiveling and starting to empty half of the contents into the bowl.

 

Admittedly; it wasn’t the smartest idea that Alex had ever had, essentially she was trying to (nearly) poison her dog with out-of-date food, but after racking her brain the night before as sleep evaded her; this was the best idea she had to stage a ‘chance meeting of destiny’. She finished preparing the food and placed the bowl on the floor, Riley clearly not noticing the difference, lunged forward and started downing the food. Satisfied, Alex throws the rest of the dog food in the trash and waltzes into the living room where a less than enthusiastic Kelley is entering the room with an even less enthusiastic Allie is following her.

 

“Ready?” Alex asks, swinging back and forth on her heels as she swipes her car keys from the table.

 

“It’s only Costco Al, why did we have to get up at an ungodly hour?” Allie yawns, clearly unimpressed.

 

“It’s 7:30AM _Alexandra_ ; it’s not an ungodly hour.” Alex corrects,

 

“You’re unusually chipper, what did you do?” Kelley asked, narrowing her eyes at her friend’s eagerness.

 

“Can’t a girl be happy?” Alex asks, shrugging as she heads towards the door.

 

“Not on a Monday morning they can’t!” Kelley calls over her shoulder as Alex opens the front door.

 

The three leave, and Tobin is the only one left in the house, she wakes up around two and a half hours after her friends have left and she sleepily makes her way downstairs and into the living room, yawning and barely able to keep her eyes open she doesn’t notice the floor until her Arsenal socked foot steps in something squidgy, and when she looks down she jumps back, shaking off her foot at the vomit on the floor, and the fact Riley is in the back garden, throwing up.

 

It takes about a minute for Tobin to register everything, and when she does, she panics.

 

She hops over the sick, and rushes out into the garden, kneeling down beside the dog, she lifts Riley’s head and notices the clouding over in his eyes, and her stomach churns as she charges back into the house, spinning and frantically searching various surfaces for her phone, and when she does, she finds Alex’s number as quickly as she can through her shaking hands, having never experienced a situation when she was in the company alone of a sick dog, Tobin is clueless at what to do, and so she needs Alex’s advice.

 

“Hey Tobs, finally out of bed?” Alex’s cheery voice comes through on the other line.

 

“Al – uh – something’s wrong.” Tobin manages to get out, and there’s a brief silence.

 

“What do you mean something’s wrong?” Alex asks, her tone lowering and Tobin’s heartbeat speeds up as she begins to hear Riley retching in the background again.

 

“R-Riley’s sick – what do I do?” Tobin questions, looking over her shoulder at the dog in the garden, Alex is silent on the other line and Tobin is getting antsier with every second she’s stuck without any way forward.

 

“The vet.” Alex finally says, “Take him to the clinic.”

 

“Vet, right – okay, I can do that.” Tobin mutters mainly to herself, “Uh – thanks.” She quickly ends the call, and after cleaning up the mess in the living room; she manages to haul Riley back into the house and put his leash on him, and grabbing her shoes, and keys she leaves the house and leads the dog to the car, carefully lifting him up and laying him down on the back seat. “Don’t throw up buddy, these were expensive.” She laughs nervously to calm herself down before climbing into her jeep and heading off to the veterinarian. She winces when she hears the dog’s heavy breathing from the backseat and tries to speed the journey up, at this rate; she was more than willing to break the speed limit to get there sooner.

 

Once she arrives; she haphazardly parks her car and lets Riley hop out, she leads him inside and rushes to the front desk, stopping in front of the young receptionist. “Hi, how can I help you?” She asks,

 

“My – uh my friend’s dog is sick, like, really sick.” Tobin tries to explain but can’t find a better explanation than that, the receptionist looks at Riley, who in all honesty looks seconds away from passing out and she stands up, waving to a woman in a white jacket,

 

“Christen; sick dog – wait – is this Riley?” Morgan’s question goes unheard,

 

The aforementioned Christen walks into Tobin’s eye line and smiles sympathetically, “Hi, I’m Dr. Press; follow me.” She offers Tobin a quick, toothy smile before leading the midfielder and Riley into one of the examination rooms. She shuts the door and lifts Riley onto the table, “What’s this cutie’s name?” Christen asks, smiling as she strokes the top of the dog’s head,

 

“Riley, his name is – uh, Riley.” Tobin stammers, unable to tear her eyes away from the woman in front of her.

 

“Hey Riley,” Christen soothes, pressing against the dog’s stomach, “That’s a good boy,” She continues to keep the dog in a subdued state as she performs a quick few examinations.

 

Tobin backs up until she’s leaning against the wall, waiting patiently as Christen switches between testing Riley’s eyes and logging into the computer, “What has he eaten today? Do you know?” Christen asks and Tobin jumps slightly, causing a small but sweet laugh to escape Christen’s lips, “Has he eaten today?” She repeats the question at a softer register.

 

Tobin thinks back, she barely noticed but figured Alex wouldn’t leave the house without feeding him first, and she doesn’t seem to remember his food bowl being full when she was in the kitchen. “I think so, just his normal food?” Tobin answers, although unsure but Christen doesn’t seem too disappointed in the response. The door swings open, and another veterinarian with long blonde hair strolls into the room,

 

“Chris, Mr. Jackson’s here with his – freakishly annoying parrot.” The blonde rolls her eyes as she heads over to one of the cabinets and begins sifting through it.

 

“Thanks Jules, I’ll head over when I’m finished here.” Christen smiled, glancing up for a second.

 

“I’ll let him know, you know, I think he has a thing for you.” The blonde chuckled causing a faint blush to take over Christen’s cheeks,

 

“ _He’s_ not my type.” Christen chuckles back, Julie grabs the package she was looking for, and strokes Riley’s nose before quickly leaving the room, shutting the door over behind her.

 

“Right,” Christen stands up straight, whilst still brushing her hand through Riley’s thick fur. “Can you tell me what happened? Why you brought him in?”

 

“I woke up and found him throwing up,” Tobin answers, looking between Christen and Riley. “I didn’t know what else to do, my friend told me to bring him here.”

 

Christen nods and hums for a second before sliding across the floor and back to her computer, and Tobin watches her, and actually notices her; she notices the way her hair is pulled back into a messy bun that had probably only been done minutes before she arrived at the clinic, she also notices that Christen has her bottom lip tugged between her teeth as she concentrates on what is on the screen, and really, the main thing she notices is just how attractive this woman is.

 

“Okay, well, I don’t think it’s anything too serious.” Christen speaks up, turning away from her computer. “If anything, I think we could be dealing with a bout of food poisoning; nothing to be too concerned with, but I would definitely suggest a lot of rest and water for this little cutie pie.” Christen starts smiling bashfully again as she runs a hand through Riley’s fur. “I would suggest,” Christen walks over to the cabinet and pulls out a small box before handing it to Tobin. “This is hydrogen peroxide, just to induce vomiting; it’s probably best for him to get it all out of his system, and of course, refrain from giving him anymore food; but I think he’s going to be just fine.”

 

“Thank you – I – for your help, Alex, my _friend_ Alex would probably kill me if something was seriously wrong.” Tobin laughs nervously thinking about how scared Alex would be if it was something more serious than food poisoning.

 

“Alex? As in, Alex Morgan?” Christen asks and Tobin furrows her eyebrows,

 

“Y-Yeah – that Alex, you know her?”

 

“We’re friends,” She nods and looks down at Riley. “Hey there buddy, hi, hey Riley it’s been a while, huh?” She asks, finally recognizing the dog, after having everything thrown off by not seeing Alex with the dog, she didn’t recognize him – or maybe it’s because it gets hard to remember every dog with the amount she sees to each week.

 

“Sorry,” the Morgan barges in, “Sorry, hi, you,” she points to Tobin, “I need some – uh – details about this.” Morgan smiles sheepishly at both women before Tobin nods and pushes herself off the wall.

 

“I’ll bring him out, don’t worry.” Christen tells her and so Tobin follows Morgan back out to the reception.

 

Tobin is finalizing the details when she hears the patter of footsteps heading in her direction and Christen hands over Riley’s leash to her, “If he doesn’t seem to be getting better or you’re worried, you can call this number, or just bring him back; I wouldn’t mind seeing him again, he’s a cutie pie.”

 

Tobin takes the card, and ignores the soft feeling of Christen’s hand in her own for a second before slipping the card into her pocket. “Thank you.” Tobin tells her, sincerely, and Christen nods.

 

“Anytime, goodbye – uh sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”

 

“Tobin, Tobin Heath.”

 

“Well, Tobin Heath; it was lovely to meet you, and see Riley again but if you’ll excuse me, I have a fussy parrot and an even fussier owner to go and see to.” She slowly backs away before turning and entering another examination room. Tobin turns and finds Morgan looking at her, almost wearing a smug smile and she feels her own cheeks heating up,

 

“Thanks, bye.” Tobin quickly rushes out before leading herself and Riley out of the clinic.

 

On the drive home, Tobin can’t get the thought of Christen Press out of her mind, but at least Riley’s retching has stopped.

 

Alex is more than grateful when Tobin and Riley return home, thanking her friend for looking after her favorite boy, and things settle down after that.

 

                                                                                                        *****

 

Their weekly Friday night dinner comes at the four quicker than they would have liked, and things are left to Tobin and Kelley to rush around the supermarket finding something to cook that evening after training, and only after they lost three rounds of; rock, paper, scissors to Allie who decided to make the most of her free afternoon by going to get her nails done, whilst Tobin and Kelley stood in the third aisle of the supermarket and argued over which pasta was better.

 

“Cannelloni is better than fettuccine; everybody knows this Tobin.” Kelley sighs irritated, massaging her temples as Tobin refuses to make a decision on which pasta to buy.

 

“I don’t understand why Alex is so obsessed with Friday night dinners.” Tobin shrugs as she tosses the bag of cannelloni into the cart and the bag of fettuccine back on the shelf.

 

“They’re a tradition Tobs.” Kelley replies, leaning against the cart as they continue their way down the aisle. “They have been since the three of us lived together, remember our first Friday night dinner – in New York, our dinner table was a cardboard box and we ate cold pizza with a flickering lamp that nearly burnt down the apartment the next week?” Kelley smiles at the memory and Tobin laughs when she remembers it; they were freezing in that apartment, all sharing blankets and silently eating because they were in the middle of a fight because the stress of moving was getting to them.

 

“I’m glad we can say our dinners aren’t that depressing anymore.”

 

“We have more friends now, for one.” Kelley adds, “And Alex finally learnt how to use an oven.”

 

“We have central heating,” Tobin chips in

 

“And chairs,” Kelley laughs, “We’ve had so many dinners over the years but our first, that crappy one in New York will always be my favorite.”

 

“Mine too,” Tobin smiles fondly as the two round the corner.

 

They finish their shopping and head home, and Kelley starts panicking when she realizes it’s nearly 5PM and everybody will be on their way home soon, and the dinner the pair were planning on cooking that evening was still untouched in the grocery bags on the kitchen counter but when Tobin waves the remote in her direction and suggests catching up with the last of Narcos they have to catch up, Kelley finds herself making a dive for the couch and the fuzzy plaid blanket from the back of the sofa as they settle down to watch their current favorite TV show.

 

Alex and Allie return home thirty minutes or so later, and roll their eyes when they walk in to find the credits of Narcos rolling and Tobin asleep with a sleeping Kelley sprawled across her lap and the other end of the couch. “I told you.” Allie laughed as she walked through and into the kitchen.

 

“Hey, you dumbasses, wake up.” Alex kicks at Tobin’s ankle causing the older woman to jolt forward, confused and dazed from being woken up. “Ash and Ali are going to be here soon; don’t you have dinner to cook?” Alex wonders and Tobin nods, as she stretches and yawns before nudging Kelley and waking her up.

 

“Time to be world-class chefs, KO.”

 

“Five more minutes,” the defender mumbles, wiping at the drool on her chin and closing her eyes again.

 

“No, wake up, come on.” Tobin hauls Kelley off the couch and to her feet, the latter begrudgingly following Tobin into the kitchen as they begin to empty the bags and figuring out what they’re going to cook, what they’re going to need and whether they have enough time to cook before it.

 

Once the pair get into the rhythm of things; Kelley and Tobin work as a team to prepare and begin cooking a spinach and ricotta cannelloni and not because that’s the only thing they have both cooked before and not burnt; but that’s also a major part of why they are cooking it. The doorbell rings whilst Kelley and Tobin are sitting on the counter, waiting for the timer to go off; Allie answers the door and hears four distinctive voices; Ashlyn and Ali and their two children; Ethan and Olivia. Ethan catches the sight of Tobin’s ponytail before yelling ‘Toby’ at the top of his voice and racing into the kitchen, his eyes lighting up when he sees both Tobin and Kelley,

 

“Hey champ; how’s it going?” Tobin jumps down from the counter and lifts the seven year old up, swinging him around causing him to erupt in a fit of laughter.

 

“C-Can we play soccer?” He asks through his unbridled laughter.

 

“Later, if you’re good and eat your dinner.” Tobin tells him, ruffling his hair.

 

“Oh Tobin, you’re becoming more of a mom every day.” Kelley sighs, placing her hand on her heart and she should have expected the dish towel to the face that Tobin tosses at her.

 

Tobin is walking downstairs when the doorbell rings again, and she pokes her head into the living room. “I know we’re not the best cooks in the house but you didn’t need to order pizza.” She sarcastically says to Alex who just shrugs, Tobin walks to the door and opens it and her jaw drops when she sees who is standing on the doorstep.

 

“Hi Tobin.” Christen smiles softly at her, clutching the bottle of wine under her right arm.

 

“Christen!” Tobin says too excitedly, and so she coughs before calmly speaking again.

 

“Hey, it’s good to – uh – to see you again.” Tobin stammers nervously,

 

“You too, can I come in?” She asks, and Tobin nods, not trusting her voice as she steps aside to let Christen in, and as she’s shutting the door; Tobin catches Alex smirking in her direction and she shakes her head, _of course_.

 

Christen immediately slides into a conversation with Ali and Tobin walks into the living room, grabbing Alex’s arm and pulling her into the kitchen. “What did you do?” Tobin immediately questions.

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Alex plays the innocent card, batting her eyelashes at the midfielder.

 

“Liar.” Tobin huffs, “Alex.”

 

“Fine,” Alex concedes, much easier than she usually would have. “I gave Riley some out of date dog food to plan a chance meeting with you and Christen.” Alex admits, and Tobin is frozen to the spot, she narrows her eyes before she shakes her head.

 

“Al, you don’t _plan_ a chance meeting – that’s why it’s called a chance meeting.” Tobin states with an eye roll.

 

“I had to do something; you are – so – alone and I have wanted to set you up with Christen for months but you would never let me set you up – and Allie thinks it’s good too, and okay, Kelley told me not to but what does Kelley know, she hasn’t been on a date in over a year, but seriously Tobs, Christen is really sweet-” Tobin holds her hand up to stop Alex’s rambling,

 

“Everyone knew about this? Allie? Kelley?” Tobin wonders aloud.

 

“And, Ali and Ash…” Alex trails off, smiling nervously as she tries to decipher Tobin’s reaction.

 

“You poisoned your dog so I could meet your friend?” Tobin asked again to make sure, after all; this was somewhat hard to believe.

 

“It wasn’t my smartest idea – I know,” Alex concedes, wringing her hands together.

 

“It was stupid, and you call me and KO dumbasses.” Tobin states with an eye roll, leaning back against the kitchen counter.

 

“Tobin, please, can you just give her a chance?” Alex pleads, and Tobin doesn’t react,

 

“Why are you so desperate for me to meet someone?” Tobin switches the subject, “I’m happy being single.”

 

“I know-”

 

“You told her?” Kelley is the one to cut her off this time, walking into the kitchen with an empty bottle of wine,

 

“She asked me.” Alex held her hands up, and Kelley turned to Tobin who was still pursing her lips, looking past both of her friends, “You haven’t stopped staring at her this whole time we have been talking.” Alex states, and Tobin finally tears her eyes away from Christen.

 

“Okay, my turn, go away.” Kelley pushes Alex out of the kitchen before pushing Tobin out of the house and onto the patio, sitting on the steps. “What are you thinking?” Kelley asks, nudging Tobin’s shoulder.

 

“I don’t know, a lot of things, why Alex is stupid, why Alex can’t see I’m happy the way things are, why Alex cares more about my love life than her own.”

 

“I’m sensing a theme,” Kelley chuckles, “She only did it because she loves you, she wants you to be happy and even I know you miss being in a relationship.” Kelley tells her honestly, “I’ll admit I wasn’t originally happy with Alex wanting to set you two up but even I can see how good you two would be together, how good that she could be for you, and vice versa.”

 

“I’m not over-”

 

“Stop using that excuse, Tobin.” Kelley interjects, “You were over her a long time ago, you’re just scared of putting yourself back in that position and you’re missing out on new experiences, other shots at happiness, and I mean the true happiness you felt with _her._ I’m not saying you’re going to marry Christen but you won’t know anything unless you give her a chance.”

 

“Does Christen know this is a set-up?” Tobin wonders, leaning forward,

 

“I don’t know; but she’s a smart woman, she would probably figure it out.” Kelley tells her, “So, what do you say? Will you give her a chance?”

 

Tobin turns to Kelley and grins whilst nodding, “It’s worth a shot.”

 

                                                                                                                  *****

 

They laugh, they laugh to the point where they think they’re going to cry, the empty plates are piled in the kitchen but the friends are still sitting around the table, as Ashlyn and Ali take it in turns to see who can embarrass their kids most, and by the way Ethan was burrowed in Tobin’s arms, begging Ashlyn to stop talking; his mama was winning by a long-shot.

 

“Okay, that’s enough; you’re going to traumatize him.” Tobin cut the story of Ethan’s first goal (own-goal) for his club soccer team.

 

“Shit, it’s nearly midnight; we should probably go.” Ali curses when she looks down at her phone, Olivia sleeping soundly in her lap. “Thanks guys, dinner was great; as always.” Ali stood up, draping her five year old over her shoulder as Ethan crawled out of Tobin’s arms and yawned before running ahead of Ashlyn to grab his coat.

 

“Thank you Auntie Alex, Auntie Allie, Auntie KO and Auntie Toby!” Ethan gives his four aunts a big hug each before running and slipping his hand into Ashlyn’s, as the two women say their goodbyes and hug their friends before leaving.

 

It doesn’t take long for Christen to announce she is leaving also, with an early morning in the clinic ahead of her, she bids her farewells, taking longer when saying goodbye to Riley, before she grabs her coat, purse and heads to the door; Tobin turns towards the kitchen where Kelley is staring at her, and gesturing to her to follow Christen out, and Tobin knows better than to disobey Kelley, so she pulls herself up and follows, and finds Christen still at the door, her hand on the handle.

 

“Thanks for tonight, I never realized how much fun you were.”

 

“That’s just the beginning, I’m a comedy genius.” Tobin winks, but internally feels herself cringing but Christen overlooks it, out of politeness, Tobin is sure of that.

 

“I guess I’m going to have to stick around and get to know this comedy genius.” She says kindly before leaning in and kissing Tobin’s cheek.

 

“Also,” she whispers, “next time don’t make your friends be the ones to ask me on a dinner date.” Christen leans back and waves goodbye to the other guys before leaving, and Tobin turns around to find the three of her roommates leaning against the wall, all smiling smugly and feeling satisfied.

 

“Don’t even say it.” Tobin warns them, pointing at them as she feels the blood rush to her cheeks.


	2. Chapter 2

Saturday was fine, Sunday was tiring, by Monday the guys were starting to get annoyed, by Tuesday the annoyance was replaced by full-on irritation, and by Wednesday; Kelley had given up and scrawled Christen’s phone number on a piece of paper before tearing a piece of sticky tape off and striding across the room to stick the phone number on Tobin’s forehead as the elder gave her a toothy grin in return,

 

“Now will you shut up for the love-of-fucking god?” She asked impatiently, tapping her foot as Tobin pulled the paper and three loose strands of hair from her head, looking up she gave her friend a toothy grin.

 

“Thanks KO, I owe you!” Tobin called after the other woman as Kelley tiredly made her way into the kitchen,

 

“I couldn’t do it guys, she was grinding my fucking gears.” Kelley groans as she throws herself down in one of the chairs beside Allie, Alex turns around from the stove and folds her arms as she leans forward to watch Tobin.

 

“I have never seen her like this, she’s so, she’s so-” Alex snapped her fingers as she tried to think of the word,

 

“Smitten?” Allie suggests.

 

“That’s it! She’s smitten, god, I swear I have never seen her like this.” Alex continues, rolling her eyes. “Kel,” she whines, “why didn’t you talk me out of it, I thought she would be – chill- about it.”

 

“I tried,” Kelley chuckles, her mood lightening up. The three hear something clattering against the floor and when they turn; Tobin is leaning down to pick her phone up, albeit bashfully, she turns, grins at her friends before scampering out of the room and the sound of bounding on the stairs follows. “She’s like a kid with a crush.” Kelley adds

 

“There’s no _like_ about it; she _is_ a kid with a crush.” Alex says

 

“I just hope Christen doesn’t crush her heart.” Allie deadpans, and it causes Kelley and Alex to look at her, sharing bewildered yet sour facial expressions. 

 

"Way to stay positive, Allie.” Kelley murmurs. “Christen wouldn’t hurt anyone,”

 

“She kills animals!” Allie cries out, and Kelley cocks her head to the side, opening her mouth to correct the way-off statement, but no words come out and Alex is just staring at the blonde, looking seconds away from either wanting to laugh or cry at their roommate.

 

“She’s a veterinarian, not a fucking serial killer.” Kelley corrects, sporting an almost emotionless look as Allie shrinks back into her seat.

 

“… She does kill some animals though.” Allie says after a brief pause.

 

“I suppose doctors kill patients deliberately too,” Alex interjects, glancing momentarily over her shoulder.

 

“You said it not me.” Allie points finger guns at the striker, leaving Alex to only roll her eyes in response.

 

Upstairs in her room, Tobin is lying back on her bed, holding her phone and the phone number above her head as she looks between them, she has typed the number and her thumb hovers over the keyboard,

 

 _Hello_ sounded too formal, _yo its Tobin Heath_ sounded like fourteen year old Tobin’s aspirations to fit in with the cooler kids in school, and Tobin felt like every message she wanted to type either sounded ridiculous or like her mom when she was texting.

 

The sound of Alex yelling that dinner was ready from the bottom of the stairs caused two things to happen; first the phone slipped from Tobin’s hand and landed square on her face, and second, let Tobin breathe a sigh of relief, she knew in her head that she was over-thinking a text message, and dinner allowed a welcome relief to just, calm herself down and not panic over the small things such as; would Christen even reply?

 

Instead, she locks her phone and tosses it on her pillow before leaving her room and skipping downstairs to join her friends for dinner.

 

                                                                                                   *****

 

“Oh gosh!” Christen freaks,

 

She is sitting in a small coffee shop by the clinic with Julie on Thursday afternoon, the sun is shining through the windows and Julie is looking over at her friend, her phone slowly lowering from her face, interested by her sudden outburst.

 

“What? Coffee too hot?” Julie asks, stifling her laughter at the look of innocence, and confusion displayed across Christen’s features.

 

“What if I scared her away?” Christen wonders, placing her palms flat against her jeans, and glancing up to catch Julie’s eyes. “Tobin.” She adds for confirmation, but from the way Julie struggles to hide her laughter, the blonde definitely knew that it was about the midfielder, Julie tries to stop laughing, but the more she tries the more she continues to laugh maniacally.

 

“Tell me something Chris, how would – actually, how _could_ you have possibly scared a professional soccer player away? Unless you got her to sign your bra or something – actually, you wouldn’t, you would have to save something for the second date, right?” Julie is smirking and Christen rolls her eyes, clearly unimpressed with Julie’s lack of help.

 

“I’m being serious.” Christen whined, leaning forward and putting her head in her hands. “I did say to her, that I hope next time her friends didn’t have to be the ones to ask me on a dinner date, something dumb like that – what if me calling it a date freaked her out – oh gosh, I scared her off.”

 

Julie was actually quite enchanted by Christen’s nervous rambling, but also, she hated seeing her friend so wound up over something that she had spent way too many hours over-thinking since Friday night; Julie had been the first person that the raven haired woman had called, it was a little after 1AM when she got the phone call, and Julie regretted answering it until she heard a melody to Christen’s voice she hadn’t heard in a long while, and her annoyance faded as Christen continued to recall her dinner, with one name mentioned more than any other; a one, Tobin Heath; and Julie felt she was back in high school listening to her best friend spill the details of her first date, it was oddly charming, and Julie had never felt happier in herself to hear the excitement in Christen’s voice .

 

“Chris – Christen stop.” Julie chuckles, leaning across and laying her own atop of her friend’s. “I am completely sure that referring to what was essentially a dinner date as a date would not scare off Tobin, she’s probably just busy, training? Her life? They’re preparing for their game against the league leaders on Saturday.”

 

“How do – how do you know that?” Christen asks wearily, narrowing her eyes, and Julie has to bite her lip to refrain from laughing again.

 

“You know I love soccer, LAFC are a pretty big deal.” The blonde tells her,

 

Christen blushes, in fact, she does remember the plenty of times that Julie has walked into work on Sunday morning or Monday afternoon, ranting, raving about how the latest soccer game had not gone her team’s way, and the _PK that was definitely not a PK but the referee loves them so they gave it and we lost 2-1_ is a story that Julie often retells during the season, and Christen tries, she really does, but she just can’t find herself fully enjoying soccer as much as she did in college – despite how much, Julie, Alex and Kelley try.

 

“We should go!” Julie announces after a short silence, “Yeah, we should definitely go – you’re not working on Saturday, and I’m not – let’s go to the game.” Julie is excited, she has been trying for months to try and get Christen to come to a soccer game with her, and now that Christen has a motivation to sit through 90 minutes, Julie figures that her best friend couldn’t turn the offer down.

 

Apparently she is wrong, “No, I – I’m not a huge soccer fan Jules.” Christen politely declines.

 

“Are you worried if you go and Tobin somehow spots you in the crowd, she will – I don’t know, run away?” Julie asks

 

“That’s ridiculous.” Christen deadpans.

 

“Is it wrong though?” Julie asks her, and when Christen doesn't answer, Julie lets her shoulders drop and feels sympathetic towards her. “Come to the game with me Chris, please. It won’t be bad, I promise.”

 

“Fine,” she sighs exasperatedly, “but I want you to buy me a glass of wine at the game.”

 

“Christen, they don’t serve wine at soccer games…” Julie trails off, eyebrows furrowing at Christen’s fallen smile, until the older woman starts laughing.

 

“I know that!” She chuckles, “Your face was priceless though.”

 

Julie shakes her head unable to stop the smile forming, “you’re something special, oh by the way; we’re going with Morgan and my niece.” Julie informs Christen, and Christen shrugs; she loves Morgan, and Julie’s niece always gets way overexcited when she sees Christen – she can deal. Julie gets a text and looks down at her phone. “That’s Morgan, she told us to stop having fun and get back to the clinic.”

 

 

Twenty minutes away, the LAFC team is just finishing up their afternoon training session in preparation for their game against the league leaders Seattle. “S-She is trying to kill us.” Kelley mutters from her position on the pitch, her arm thrown across her face to shield her eyes from the sun, her body practically melting into the turf as she pants, “I’ve run pacer tests less excruciating than this.”

 

“Pacer tests are nothing, you crush them every time KO.” Tobin reminds her, juggling the ball precisely a meter away from where the defender was lying.

 

“You’re only jealous.” Kelley laughs, tilting her head to the side when she suddenly remembers. “Hey, you never told us, has Christen text you yet?”

 

The ball drops and rolls away from Tobin as the midfielder leans up, laughing nervously and scratches the back of her neck. “I – I actually haven’t text her yet.” She admits, and Kelley is staring at her like she has three heads,

 

“You better be fucking kidding.” Kelley deadpans. “Please tell me you’re joking.” Kelley stares at Tobin as she pulls herself to her feet, “You annoyed us to the point of where we wanted to simultaneously strangle you for you to not even text her?” Kelley waits for Tobin to reply, and when she doesn’t, Kelley says one more thing. “Run.”

 

Tobin suddenly gets the deer caught in headlights look flashing through her eyes and she takes off running towards the locker room with Kelley quick on her heels, and the thing about Kelley, she is so much faster than many people will give her credit for, so it isn’t a surprise when Kelley catches Tobin and leaps onto her back.

 

“Why not?” She asks, much softer this time, and Tobin’s taken aback, but she just shakes her head.

 

“I haven’t thought of the right thing to say?” Tobin shrugs, still unsure of the reasoning herself.

 

“How about, hi?” Kelley suggests and really, for somebody who calls herself a genius, Kelley definitely should have seen Tobin dropping her onto the pitch. “God, Tobs, I thought by the way you were so desperate to get her number, you had a fourteen line sonnet thought out and ready to send.”

 

“Not all of us recite Shakespeare to girls to get them into bed.” Tobin spoke sarcastically.

 

“That’s a low blow, Heath; I’m so proud of you.” Kelley smirks and holds her hand out for a fist bump, which Tobin gratefully accepts.

 

                                                                                                           *****

 

Game day hits quicker than everybody expects.

 

Christen wakes up bright and early on Saturday morning, awoken by the sound of Morena scratching against the door, whining to go for a walk around the apartment.

 

“Five more minutes, pup, okay?” Christen mumbles out tiredly; not even registering that trying to compromise with a dog was borderline ridiculous. Christen turns onto her left side and burrows her face back into the pillows when she can feel her phone vibrate, once, twice, three times on her nightstand, and realizing they could be an emergency, Christen huffs and rolls onto her back; reaching for her phone, unsuccessfully at first until she grasps it by the corner and pulls it in front of her face; the bright screen causing her to squint in the still darkened room.

 

**[Julie ‘the better vet’ Johnston]**

 

_We’re on our way over_

_We’re nearly here, are you asleep?_

_Wakey wakey we have a busy day ahead of us, no backing out Christen_

 

Aside from resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the contact name that Julie put in as a joke nearly two years ago, Christen slowly begins to wake up fully and when the sound of the buzzer rings from outside her room; Christen drags herself out of bed, opening the door and letting an overexcited Morena run free through the apartment, barking at the front door. She slides across the hardwood floor and unlocks the door before grabbing a hoodie from the back of her sofa and slipping it on; appreciating that her friends would probably not want to see her strolling around in a Calvin Klein bra and pajama shorts at 7:20AM on a Saturday morning. Christen has barely made it into the kitchen to make coffee when the door swings open and a five year old with bright eyes and a wide smile comes bounding into the apartment screaming Christen’s name at the top of her voice.

 

Christen kneels down and opens her arms out, bracing herself for Mia’s impact; she catches the five year old and lifts her up, hugging her tightly. Mia brushes her hair out of her eyes and hugs Christen back.

 

“Auntie JJ says you’re coming to the game with us.” She says gleefully, and Christen smiles, offering a helping hand to brush the child’s hair behind her ear.

 

“I am, are you excited?” Christen asks her.

 

“Yeah! Auntie JJ says you know Alex Morgan.” Mia grins

 

“Did she now?” Christen chuckles looking over Mia’s head to catch Julie looking at her and shrugging. “I do know Alex, and Kelley O’Hara.”

 

“And Tobin Heath!” Morgan shouts from where she had made herself at home on the sofa. Christen drops her head and blushes. Christen lets Mia down and tells her to go and steal the TV remote from Morgan before they are all stuck watching a really boring black and white movie from 1934.

 

“Speaking of Tobin Heath…” Julie trails off, taking a seat on one of the breakfast bar stools, whilst wiggling her eyebrows at Christen who responds by flipping her off. “Seriously, anything?”

 

“Nothing, but its fine, I’m not stressed.” Christen plays it off coolly, but Julie is more eagle-eyed than that,

 

“Your hand says otherwise,” Julie nods towards Christen’s hand and Christen notices that she scratching her nails against the marble countertop, a nervous habit, a nervous habit she hadn’t realized she had until Julie pointed it out one day whilst they were driving into work.

 

“I’m fine.” She insists, and Julie nods, still unsure but she lets the subject drop for a while, or at least long enough for Christen to drink a cup of coffee and rush off to get ready for the day.

 

She hops in the shower, welcoming the feel of the warm water hitting her back as she massages her scalp and washes her hair.

 

Looking through her closet, and through the slits in her blinds; the day looks overcast, much to Christen’s dismay and so she settles on jeans, one of Kelley’s LAFC jerseys that came with the promise of; “ _yes Kelley, I promise I’ll wear your jersey when I’m ever at one of your games and let everybody know you’re my favorite player on the team._ ”

 

Christen takes a lot longer on her hair and makeup for the day, she tries to kid herself that she’s just taking her time, and wants to look her best for her and not for the possibility of seeing Tobin at the game. She doesn’t overdo it, but she looks in the mirror, her leather jacket in her hand and even Christen is shocked by what she sees, and not to come across as cocky in her own looks – she has not looked this good in a while, or at least this confident.

 

Christen walks through the apartment and drops her jacket onto the counter; “I leave you guys for twenty minutes and you are already playing video games.” She scoffs walking over and leaning over the back of the couch; watching Julie crush Morgan in a game of FIFA.

 

“An hour.” Julie says

 

“What?” Christen quizzes

 

“An hour, you have been getting ready for over an hour.” Julie informs her, and Christen is surprised when she looks at the clock above her TV and notices the time ticking just after 9AM.

 

“Oh,” is all Christen says, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth.

 

“Do you think Alex Morgan will my sign my jersey?” Mia asks, turning around and pulling herself up to lean against the back of the couch, until she’s practically nose to nose with Christen.

 

“If she comes over to sign by our section, I’m sure she would try.” Christen tells her, not wanting to get her hopes up if Alex can’t sign.

 

“Can’t you get her to? Auntie JJ says you’re close to her.” Mia wonders, slightly confused.

 

“Auntie JJ is putting me in a difficult position,” Christen tells the kid, “ _bitch._ ” she mutters to Julie, only loud enough for both Julie and Morgan to hear, which has the latter sniggering and Julie playfully reaching out to slap Christen’s arm. “I’ll see what I can do, is that okay?”

 

“That’s okay Christen, thank you.” Mia reaches out and wraps her smaller arms around Christen, and Christen hugs her back, not fighting back the smile that threatens to make its way onto her lips.

 

 

“So, this is game day?” Christen asks, walking hand in hand with Mia as the approach the stadium, dodging match goers, and weaving in and out of supporters donning the colors of LA and Seattle.

 

“You have lived in downtown LA for four years and you have never been to a game, I still can’t believe it.” Morgan shakes her head, clearly not able to fully get her head around it, and Christen doesn’t even try to explain for the hundredth time that she just isn’t into soccer as much as she used to be.

 

“Christen! Look!” Mia exclaims, bouncing from foot to foot when she spots a giant mural of Alex Morgan on the side of the stadium. Christen follows the five year olds arm and laughs when she sees the picture,

 

“That’s so cool! Come on, let’s go and see it.” Christen runs ahead with Mia leaving Julie and Morgan behind, laughing and watching Christen turn into a kid in a candy store right before their very eyes.

 

 

“GAME DAY, GAME DAY, GAME DAY, GAME DAY, GAME DAY, GAME DAY, GAME DAY.” Kelley and Alex repeatedly chant as they walk into the stadium, hand in hand; Allie and Tobin are following behind them, stifling their laughter at their dumbass antics.

 

The day had started off better for the four of them than they could have imagined, everything was good, and they had moods to match; the girls hadn’t been so pumped for a game since last season’s, offseason – which wasn’t to be mentioned. Walking into the locker room, they greet the rest of their teammates and the music starts blaring just a few seconds later.

 

Kelley is rifling through her bag looking for her shin guards when her phone lights up with three messages from Christen.

 

**[Stanford Messi]**

_You will never guess where I am at right this minute!_

 

Followed by two pictures; one of the outside of the stadium where she is holding Mia on her hip, and the second of the back of her jersey where **O’Hara** and the number five is proudly in view.

 

“No fucking way.” Kelley laughs, the smile bursting onto her face as she shoves her phone in Alex’s face, “look at this and tell me it isn’t fate!” She shouts in the face of the striker who has to take the phone, and scoff before looking down at the thread.

 

“Fate isn’t real,” Alex tells her before smiling, “But don’t tell Tobin, we don’t need her distracted.”

 

“Tobin doesn’t get distracted.” Kelley scoffs, snatching her phone back.

 

“If Tobin gets even a small hint that Christen is in the stadium she will end up trying to show off during the game, concede possession and we will lose 5-0.” Alex explains.

 

“And Allie calls me the overdramatic one.” Kelley rolls her eyes so far that Alex is convinced they are going to roll back into her head.

 

“She has a point.” Alex shrugs and slides past Kelley to reach her own locker,

 

                                                                                                                *****

 

The teams take the field for the game, and Kelley does a quick search of the crowd, she doesn’t expect to find Christen, hell, she barely even has a proper look at the crowd but she nudges Alex when she catches a familiar face staring down at the pitch. Christen is sitting in-between Julie and Morgan with Mia sitting on her lap.

 

The national anthem plays, and the handshakes and formalities are conducted, the captain’s shake hands and the team’s set up and ready themselves for kickoff.

 

The game starts off fast paced, tackles flying in from both sides, there is a blazing shot from thirty yards out that has the LA keeper scrambling to her left side post to palm the ball over the crossbar for a corner to Seattle that is ultimately cleared by an Allie Long header. The game settles down for around five minutes after that, possession being held up in the midfield when rookie Rose Lavelle catches Kelley making a run down the right side and so she sends a long ball in the direction of the defender who is caught off-guard and body checked to the ground by Seattle’s Lauren Barnes, Kelley rolls and eventually lands on her back, clutching her left shoulder in agony, she lets out an ear-piercing scream as she screws her eyes shut.

 

Alex, Allie and Tobin race across field and group around their friend, with Tobin whistling and gesturing for the doctors to come on. “Kel, Kel it’s okay.” Alex tries to soothe her, brushing pieces of turf off of her forehead.

 

“Fucking hell it hurts.” The defender grinds her teeth as the doctors take over, applying a small pressure to her shoulder.

 

The game is stopped for bordering on six minutes when Kelley finally stumbles to her feet, rolling her shoulder slowly and letting out three shaky breaths. She’s taken off to the sideline and proceeds to argue with the doctors that she’s fine to continue, even mistakenly throwing her arms in the air to prove they are still mobile, even if she winces at the sharp shooting pain; the doctors concede and she’s waved back onto the field, with a renewed sense of determination to either murder the entire Seattle starting eleven or at least win 8-0.

 

The second half ends goalless, and much to Kelley’s relief, the pain in her shoulder started to cease around the fortieth minute of the game. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Alex asks for the fifth time on their way down to the locker room, Kelley stops and sighs before turning around to face the brunette.

 

“I’m fine Al, she just body checked me.”

 

“You were crying.” Alex points out.

 

“I was not.” Kelley argues,

 

“Whatever, you’re the best defender we have got, we can’t lose you.” Alex says casually.

 

“We can’t or you can’t?” Kelley wonders and she smirks when she hears Alex scoff and mutter something incoherent under her breath.

 

The teams retake the field for the second half with no substitutions and a rallying pep talk from their coach and captain-but-not-their-actual-captain Tobin Heath.

 

The second half is more intense than the first, tackles continuing to fly in, bullets of shots are sent on frame, corner and after corner conceded and cleared and thanks to both defenses; needless fouls conceded just outside the penalty areas leading to free kicks in dangerous positions that both sets of goalkeepers are able to handle with ease. Substitutions are made by both coaches and the clock ticks down into the 80th minute, both teams becoming increasingly sure that one goal now would be the winning goal of the game.

 

For Seattle; the game falls apart in the 84th minute when a corner is swung in by Tobin from the left side of the field, and Lauren Barnes jumps highest with Alex Morgan and _blatantly_ handballs the ball, leading to a penalty kick called against the veteran defender. Seattle players rush to surround the referee, each pleading their case and arguing which leads to three Seattle players yellow carded in thirty seconds. Kelley smirks from her position on the edge of the penalty area; calling it retribution for the first half incident. Alex picks the ball up and throws it upwards, for Tobin to catch.

 

“Don’t miss it, stud.” She winks and jogs out of the penalty area and stands with the rest of the waiting players. Tobin places the ball down on the spot and hesitates, her hands on her hips before taking three steps back, making eye contact with the Seattle keeper, she bows her head as the referee blows the whistle.

 

Tobin steps up and sticks her laces through the ball sending it rifling into the top right corner of the goal, sending the stadium into euphoria. Tobin gets two steps away from the penalty spot before she’s tackled by her teammates in celebration.

 

LA beat Seattle 1-0.

 

The players shake hands before heading over to various sections of the stadium to sign and take pictures with their fans, Tobin follows Alex over to section 8 and she starts signing everything from jerseys to scarves, to photographs and even the arm of a middle aged woman. By the time Tobin makes it to the end of the section, she has smiled so much that her jaw is beginning to ache, but she perseveres; after all, she knows this team would be nothing without the outstanding support of their fans.

 

“Hi, can you sign this for me?” A familiar voice asks, and Tobin’s head shoots up, her face breaking out into an impossibly huge grin when she finds she is face to face with Christen.

 

“Christen!” Tobin exclaims, leaning forward over the metal bar,

 

“You’re here! Why are you here? Wait that sounds rude, I mean, hi.” Tobin slows down and takes a deep breath to stop her accelerating heart rate.

 

Christen laughs and Tobin nearly loses her grip on the metal railing. “Julie convinced me to come; she didn’t really leave me with any choice. Your goal was really good, I’m impressed, you’re light on your feet…” and Christen winks and Tobin feels her head spin.

 

“If I would have known you would be here, I would have showed just how light on my feet I can be.” Tobin says as smoothly as she can.

 

“I guess soccer games are going to be taking up my free weekends now,” Christen suggests, unable to stop her grin growing wider.

 

“Christen – oh my god! Tobin Heath!” Tobin looks down as Mia wriggles in-between the railing and Christen, effectively cutting short their conversation, but once Tobin sees the adoring look in Christen’s eyes as she lifts Mia up, she can’t be mad.

 

Tobin whistles and brings; Allie, Kelley and Alex over after signing Mia’s scarf and hear her excitedly chatting about how Alex Morgan is her favorite player but her Auntie JJ loves Tobin and Kelley and Allie is the toughest midfielder, and Mia’s eyes light up as she hugs her heroes and gets her jersey signed by the women she looks up to most.

 

Christen is just about to leave when Tobin reaches out and touches her shoulder, “I don’t know how busy you and your friends are but after the game – we uh – we always go out to get some food and I’m sure Alex and Kelley would love to hang out with you guys and me of course, but its fine if you have plans…” Tobin stops when she notices she’s rambling, and Christen looks at her watch before back in the general direction of where she was sitting.

 

“I would love to, and I’m sure Julie and Morgan would too; where should we meet you?” Christen asks with a smile.

 

Tobin is surprised, having fully expected to be turned down, she stumbles over her answer. “Outside, by the parking lot, we’ll meet you there?”

 

“Sounds, it sounds perfect.” Christen nods, when she feels Mia tugging on her hand. “I’ll see _you_ soon.” She says before she’s being dragged up the steps.

 

Tobin turns away from the railings, smiling and feeling an oh-so-familiar sensation filling her stomach, but she’s far too happy to even care about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, two chapters already? i'm shocked too, but i'm going to go ahead and say we have a (sorta) slow burn going on here, whilst also some major kellex hints, it's just how I do things 
> 
> you guys can thank drunk me for this update which came quicker than it usually would :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter and there will be a lot more preath action now, we're starting to get into the story and I appreciate all your kudos and comments, I love reading them and they seriously do make my day better to hear that you're enjoying what I write... am I drunk? probably? will this have grammatical errors? probably... we good? we good.


	3. Chapter 3

Tobin bounces into the locker room.

 

She bounces into the locker room with a wide smile, bright eyes and feeling the happiest she has felt in a long fucking time.

 

_Oh, and the win was awesome too._

 

“Game winning goal, baby!” Allie screams when she catches sight of Tobin through a crowd of their teammates, she ducks Alex’s flailing arm and slings her own arms around Tobin’s neck, hugging the midfielder tightly, to the point where Tobin has to scramble to get free and regain the ability to breathe again.

 

Tobin just laughs as she accepts the high-fives and hugs from her teammates as she makes her way over to her locker, she sits down, leans back and can’t hide the cheek-splitting grin still plastered on her face.

 

“Come celebrate with us Toby!” Kelley grabs Tobin’s hands and pulls the older woman into the middle of the locker room, joining in with the misspoken lyrics of the current song blasting through the walls of the locker room, and for once, Tobin _actually_ dances.

 

Tobin gets so lost in celebration, listening to what their coach told them and showering after the game that she forgets to mention the four could have some guests joining them at dinner, and it isn’t until they walk out to the parking lot and Tobin spies Christen in conversation with Morgan that she remembers and she quickly slides in front of her teammates; stopping them in their tracks.

 

“Quick heads-up, I invited Christen and her friends to dinner with us.”

 

They don’t respond, but Kelley and Alex share a knowing look before they laugh, “its fine Tobin, we love those guys.”

 

“I expect a formal introduction.” Allie interjects, folding her arms and awaiting Tobin’s response – which is an eye roll and a sarcastic ‘oh sure’. “I am going to assume that was sincere and not sarcastic.” Allie huffs out, walking past Tobin and knocking the snapback off her head in the process. Tobin grinds her teeth, annoyed as she puts her snapback back on and jogs to catch up with her friends; Christen sees Tobin approaching, and her face breaks out into a huge grin, and she backs away from where she is stood beside Kelley and meets Tobin halfway.

 

“Thank you for inviting us, the girls were definitely up for it – but are you sure this is okay? We wouldn’t want to intrude?” Christen nervously asks, flicking her gaze to everything

 

but the beautiful woman standing in front of her, Tobin dismisses her question with a wave of her hand. “You wouldn’t be, they’re completely fine with it.” Tobin tells her, and she smiles when she wave of relief washes over Christen’s face.

 

“Thank you for this, not just inviting us but getting the guys to sign Mia’s jersey, she really appreciated it; she was getting a little antsy towards the end of the game that she wouldn’t get her jersey signed; and she doesn’t know when she’s next going to be staying with Julie, here.” Christen rambles.

 

“It’s no problem.” Tobin shrugs, feeling a faint dusting of pink gracing her cheeks, she still gets shocked at fans screaming her name, wearing _her_ jersey, wanting to take pictures with her and have her smudged handwriting on the back of their jerseys and other pieces of merchandise.

 

“Well, I’m seriously grateful for you – and them!” Christen rushes to add,

 

“HEY LOVEBIRDS WE’RE LEAVING!” Kelley screams at the top of her lungs, earning a rightful glare in response from Tobin, and Alex slaps Kelley’s arm for good measure, sending her buddy a sympathetic look when she notices the tips of Tobin’s ears turning bright red. Kelley rubs her arm and pushes Alex back playfully, feigning offence.

 

“So, where are we heading?” Christen asks as she and Tobin starting walking, matching their strides as they start to catch up with their friends.

 

“Who knows,” Tobin laughs, “Usually we just drive around for forty minutes whilst Allie and Kelley argue over where to go.”

 

“Christen!” Mia runs towards the woman, and holds her hand out for her to hold. Christen does so and it shocks Tobin when the five year old holds her other hand out for Tobin to hold, but the midfielder hesitates, having never been one to be close to _any_ children that she wasn’t in some way related to, but Mia persists, keeping her hand outstretched until Tobin catches the waiting look that Christen is sending her, and takes hold of the child’s hand.

 

And if Allie sneakily captures a picture of the moment, nobody has to know, well except for Kelley who has her chin hooked on the blonde’s shoulder.

 

They bypass their cars, they leave the immediate area and Julie and Alex lead the way; pointing at various restaurant options, and Kelley’s shrill shrieks of protest can be heard, and the occasional; “Al, I got body checked by one of the best defenders in the league I want a burger.”

 

Christen and Tobin steal glances at each other, but neither feel the need to disturb the comfortable silence that they have melted into; not that Mia would let them get a word in edgeways by the way she was continuously going about soccer, her soccer team and how much she loves LAFC.

 

They stop walking and Kelley excitedly points towards a small diner at the end of the street; and will not take no for an answer from anybody, and proceeds to pulling Alex into the establishment, the others following suit; not choosing to argue with a hungry Kelley O’Hara, nobody should be willingly choosing to argue with a hungry Kelley O’Hara anyway. The diner looks like it was transported from 1950 itself; and not the overdone, cringe-worthy attempts of bringing 1950’s flair to a brand new restaurant, and it ends up just looking cheap, and Kelley and Morgan turn into literal five year olds at the sights, the music playing and the electric guitars hanging on the walls; booths that looked like they had been plucked from 1954, and music that reminded Tobin of rides to soccer practice with her grandpa.

 

“This place is fucking awesome.”

 

“Small ears Kelley, jeez.” Alex scolds her, pointing to Mia who was standing a mere two feet away from the pair. “Remind me to keep our – my child away from you.” Alex tries to stay smooth but she blushes at the slip-up, and Kelley either didn’t catch it or chooses to ignore it, chasing after Mia to the ice-cream bar, ignoring Julie’s yells of no sugar before dinner.

 

The guys take their seats in one of the larger booths situated towards the back of the eatery, Tobin easily sliding in beside Christen, Julie and Alex chase down Kelley and Mia to drag them away from the ice-cream bar, but not so successfully being able to pry the ice-cream sundaes that are piled high from their hands, Kelley being stronger than Alex and Julie not wanting to deal with a bucket-full of Mia’s tears in public. Allie coughs and Tobin rolls her eyes at the unsubtle hint that Allie is waiting to be introduced to the woman in question.

 

“Christen, Allie, Allie, Christen.” Tobin gestures between the pair. Allie halts for a second before sticking her hand out for Christen to shake.

 

“I’m Allie Long, I am Tobin’s best friend-” Tobin holds her hand up to protest but Allie waves her away, “I’m sure we’re going to get along wonderfully.”

 

“I hope so,” Christen smiles back, showing her perfectly straight teeth before retracting her hand and laying it flat on the table. Allie smirks at Tobin and shrugs, seemingly impressed by the woman in question and she leans forward to mouth something to Tobin when a rather unimpressed Kelley approaches the table, sundae-less and flops down on the other side of Christen.

 

“Grow up Kelley.” Alex tells her, but Kelley just grumbles in response,

 

They order, their food arrives and the conversation is in full flow.

 

“You never told them…” Christen trails off, feeling the heat rise from her neck to her cheeks as she sends a side glare off to Kelley who, much brighter by now just shakes her head, poking her tongue out between her teeth.

 

“Do the honors Press.” She gestures for her friend to take the lead on this story.

 

“You’re telling me, you and Kelley went on a date, like a real date, with a candlelit dinner and a goodnight kiss?” Allie asks, shocked by the confession.

 

“It wasn’t that romantic,” Christen chuckles in response to Allie. “I mean, both of those things are correct but it wasn’t romantic, it was awkward.”

 

“Speak for yourself.” Kelley interjects, but Christen ignores her.

 

Christen continues, “I won a dinner for two after getting the highest test score and I felt too awkward to ask anybody else to go with me so I asked Kel if she wanted to come with me.” Christen blushes, “I didn’t realize until we got there that it was a candlelit dinner, and I felt embarrassed, I tried to persuade Kelley to blow it off and we could go and get pizza but she wouldn’t let me, it was torturous.”

 

“Liar.” Kelley accuses playfully, “You loved it.”

 

“I _liked_ it.” Christen corrects,

 

“I just want to know how the night ended with a kiss and why have I never heard this story before?” Morgan wonders, eyebrows furrowed in her confused state; Christen and Kelley turn to each other and within seconds they are both laughing.

 

“Kelley told me she had never had a date end without a goodnight kiss and she would hate me if I was the one to break it.” Christen explains, “it wasn’t until after I kissed her she told me it wasn’t true, and that she just wanted to see what it was like to kiss me.”

 

“Works every time.” Kelley flashes her friends a smile.

 

“Just to be clear. I got my own back.” Christen informs them.

 

Tobin falls quiet midway through the conversation, her tongue pressed to the roof of her mouth as she picks at the remainder of her food, it shouldn’t bother her, after all, Christen and Kelley both admitted it was a one-time thing for a bit of fun, but Tobin’s had her ‘bit of fun’ before and something about it rubs her up the wrong way, she knows she’s stupid for feeling hurt by the confession.

 

It shouldn’t, it _isn’t_ bothering her, but Tobin just can’t bring herself to feel enthusiastic for the rest of the meal, she can barely even crack a smile when Alex praises Tobin’s ability to stay calm under pressure, and praise the wand of a left foot she has.

 

There is a lull in the conversation when Mia demands Julie and Kelley take her to get some ice cream; Alex follows, muttering something about needing to watch the amount of sugar Kelley has before she does something stupid like think she can fly and fall off the roof of their house. Morgan excuses herself to use the bathroom and Allie excuses herself to answer a phone call from Bati.

 

“Are you okay? You seem quiet.” Christen gently lays her hand atop of Tobin’s, and the simple touch has what feels like a thousand bolts of energy blasting through her body. Christen pretends not to have noticed, but she can’t help but swallow thickly that Tobin’s mood changed when she and Kelley brought up their date, their sad excuse of a date, but a date nonetheless. Tobin waits to answer, she doesn’t want to blame her sullenness on being tired, and she certainly doesn’t want to spill the real reason.

 

“I’m fine.” She settles on that response, and she turns her hand over and squeezes Christen’s, gently and offers her a warm smile. “It’s nothing to worry about.”

 

Christen isn’t convinced, she feels as though Tobin is hiding something or maybe it’s because Julie uses the same words every time she’s hiding her true feelings over something, but something is stopping her from believing, but also, she doesn’t know Tobin well enough to even consider prying into what is really up with her, she wants to though, desperately.

 

“Tell me it’s not fate.” Kelley deadpans, pointing to the booth, and more specifically pointing at Christen’s hand in Tobin’s.

 

“For the last time, fate isn’t real Kel.” Alex rolls her eyes, dipping into the bowl of toppings in her hand and pulling out a chocolate chip, throwing it up and catching it in her mouth.

 

“You say fate isn’t real but you believe in chance meetings.” Kelley tells her.

 

“I planned the chance meeting, it doesn’t count.” Alex argues, and Kelley sighs exasperatedly, Alex stops, turns and stands in front of Kelley. “What’s _so_ wrong with me not believing in fate, I don’t believe in aliens either but you’re fine with that.”

 

“Fate is real Alex.” Kelley deadpans.

 

“Fuck me, let it go.” Alex huffs, taking the bowl of toppings and heading back to the table in a huff.

 

They walk back to the parking lot, Tobin and Christen hang back. “Today was fun, not just dinner but the game and getting to know you a little better.” Christen tells her honestly, “I think getting to know you is going to be one of my favorite things.”

 

Tobin knows she’s just being polite, but boy does her heart melt at the words. “Me too,” she agrees, “I can’t wait to spend more time with you.”

 

Christen chuckles softly, “I never said anything about spending time together,” she shoots back playfully nudging Tobin’s shoulder, and Tobin just smiles; “but if you’re offering, I accept and would love to spend more time with you.” Christen lays a hand on Tobin’s shoulder.

 

                                                                                                         *****

 

Christen is in her office a few days later, massaging her temples and willing away her bad mood; to put it lightly, she was having the day from hell.

 

First, her car broke down on the highway,

 

Second, she spilt her cup of coffee all over her favorite pair of jeans,

 

Third, she ended up having an argument in the middle of the clinic with a angry dog owner who wasn’t willing to pay her pet’s medical bill, Christen doesn’t usually lose her temper so quickly but something about the middle-aged woman rubbed her up the wrong way and before she knew it she was shouting and fighting back against the absurdness that was spilling out of the woman’s mouth. If it wasn’t for Julie, Christen knows she might have gotten to the point where she punched the woman, despite being an advocate for no violence.

 

She’s typing away when her phone vibrates beside her, an unknown number flashing up on the screen; she stops what she’s doing and reads the message.

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_I’m going to assume that Kelley gave me the right number and not the number of some random old lady to appease Kelley’s sad attempt of a joke. Hi, Christen, it’s Tobin and I was wondering if you were free sometime today or this week, I would love to see you again. Was this too formal? I’m not very good at this._

 

Christen genuinely smiles for the first time that day, and she finds herself laughing; even through texting Tobin rambles, and it’s oddly charming. She saves the number before replying,

 

**[Christen Press]**

 

_Your timing is impeccable. I don’t know when you want to meet but I could really use a break from the clinic._

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_Rough day?_

 

**[Christen Press]**

 

_Like you wouldn’t believe._

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_It’s your lucky day. I’m swinging around to the clinic now._

 

Christen has never felt so relieved to get out of work for a while. She sheds her jacket and grabs her phone before slipping out of her office; she gives Morgan a heads up and has her hand against the door when Julie exits her own room. “Where are you heading off to with a smile as bright as the sun?” Julie asks her.

 

Christen scowls. Julie starts laughing but doesn’t let it go, waiting for an answer to her question.

 

“If you _must_ know, I’m heading out to see Tobin.” Christen says

 

“Told you!” Julie claps her hands and points at Morgan. Christen doesn’t even bother asking for an explanation, and instead she looks out the window and catches a glimpse of a familiar looking snapback.

 

“If you’ll excuse me,” Christen says to nobody in-particular as Morgan and Julie are too busy arguing, she slips out and makes her way across to the car where Tobin is leaning against the hood. “Were you actually on your way here?” Is the first question Christen chooses to ask.

 

“No,” Tobin chuckles, “I was on my way to go and buy some weird cookies that Allie wants, the clinic just happened to be on the way.”

 

“Well, I’m so fucking glad you’re here.” Christen growls lowly, and Tobin doesn’t get taken aback by the tone, Christen did tell her that she had a bad day. Tobin swings her car keys around her finger,

 

“So…” Tobin trails off, “should we go?”

 

“Where are we going?” Christen asks wearily, lifting her head to meet Tobin’s eyes.

 

“I have somewhere in mind, trust me?”

 

“I barely even know you.” Christen says with an eye roll, but Tobin’s thankful when she hears the playfulness returning to her voice.

 

“Exactly, why do you trust me?” Tobin shoots back, raising her eyebrows in a challenge.

 

“I never said I trusted you!” Christen protests, but falls easily into a small bout of laughter. Tobin just smiles over at Christen before getting into the car, Christen follows suit and Tobin pulls out of the parking lot. “So, where are we going?” Christen asks, settling back into the smooth leather seats of the car.

 

Tobin licks her lips, fighting back a smile, “It’s a surprise.” She says simply and she can hear Christen groan in frustration from beside her.

 

“I – I hate surprises.”

 

“I know.” Tobin replies, and Christen tilts her head to the side,

 

“H-How did you know that?” Christen asks, not remembering informing Tobin of her absolute hatred for the element of surprise, and especially not retelling the story of how she burst into tears at her eighth birthday surprise party, a birthday that scarred her for life she may add.

 

“I might have text Kelley asking her whilst I was waiting for you.” Tobin shrugs casually.

 

“You know if you continue to ask Kelley stuff about me we’re going to run out of things to talk about very quickly.” Christen tells the midfielder.

 

“I have _so_ much I want to know about you, stuff I hope Kelley doesn’t know about.” Tobin says, turning to Christen for a second.

 

Christen cocked an eyebrow, “I don’t know, Kelley knows some of my deepest secrets.” Christen decides to join in, and the response catches Tobin off-guard, so badly that she misses their turn.

 

“You – You’re something else.” Tobin stammers, fighting back a nervous laugh.

 

“I’ve been told,” Christen shrugs, smiling sweetly and flipping her hair over her shoulder sassily. Tobin turns her car around and this time manages to make the turn. “Can you please tell me where we’re going? I’m nervous.” She asks.

 

“We’re here.” Tobin replies, killing the engine and Christen has to duck to see out of the window, the picturesque Italian restaurant hidden away is faintly visible to Christen’s eyes and she glances at Tobin.

 

“Italian? Let me guess, Kelley?” Christen guesses

 

Tobin shakes her head. “Julie. Also, I figured we could get lunch, that way I can take myself up on my offer to spend more time with you.” There’s a fondness about the words falling from Tobin’s lips that have Christen swooning internally. They exit the car and walk side by side to the restaurant entrance, Tobin holding the door open for Christen, they wait to be seated and when they are, Christen spends the first few minutes looking around the restaurant adoringly.

 

“I love Italy.” Christen sighs with a smile playing on her lips.

 

“Christen, you do know we’re still in LA, right?” Tobin asks, peeking over her menu quickly enough to catch the other woman rolling her eyes.

 

“I know that, thank you. You wanted to know something about me, I spent a semester in my junior year of college in Rome.” Christen grins

 

Tobin raises her eyebrows, intrigued. “Rome? How did that come about?” She asks, placing the menu flat on the table, Christen takes a sip of water before answering.

 

“It was Kelley’s idea actually, we both wanted to study abroad for a semester but we couldn’t decide where to go, this was our second time; the year before we spent a semester in Paris, I loved Rome, I have loved Italy ever since I was young, my parents got engaged in Milan and therefore pushed, no that sounds too forceful, they laid? They laid their love of Italy onto me and my sisters, Channing and Tyler were not so interested but I was obsessed. I knew I wanted to visit one day. Kelley wanted to go to Barcelona, and I’m quoting ‘ _Press, Spanish girls are hot as fuck._ ’ We argued about it right up until the deadline when Kel conceded and we decided to go to Rome.”

 

Tobin listens carefully, taking in every word Christen says.

 

“We were a week and a half off leaving for Rome when Kelley was called up for the national team, I was devastated, we had been planning this trip, it was supposed to be us together, traveling the world but I also knew she couldn’t turn down the opportunity, so I told her to go and I’d stay at Stanford.” Christen starts laughing, “Kelley never let me; she made me promise to go to Rome, to have the experience for both of us. I think that’s the best advice she’s ever given me, it was an eye-opening experience, and I fell in love with the country even more than I was.”

 

“Sorry.” Christen smiles sheepishly when Tobin doesn’t reply, “I don’t usually talk about myself so often so when I do I tend to-”

 

“Ramble?” Tobin suggests, and Christen nods.

 

“Ramble.” She affirms. “I’m sure you have traveled to some amazing places with the national team though?” She switches the attention to Tobin.

 

“A lot, I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to travel the world doing the thing I love.” Tobin nods,

 

“Favorite place you have ever visited?” Christen asks,

 

“Brazil, without a doubt.” Tobin answers immediately. “It’s such a cool place, it’s a soccer obsessed country, I felt right at home.”

 

It’s the mention of home that has both Christen and Tobin thinking; Tobin because despite living in LA for the last three years, the city still doesn’t feel as homely as she wants it to feel, with Allie and Kelley it’s different; Kelley has been obsessed and in love with California since the day she arrived at Stanford, and Allie, well Allie loves anywhere that has a beautiful, sandy beach within walking distance, and sun. Tobin tries, she has tried, and she’s starting to accept that maybe it’s just her instead of this amazing city.

 

For Christen, she grew up in these parts, she feels at home and has felt at home here all of her life, so much so that she doesn’t think she could imagine living anywhere else. She did a quick Google search with Julie on Saturday evening after one too many glasses of wine and listening to Julie recite for the twelfth time ‘ _it’s not creepy Chris, you’re just searching her Wikipedia page._ ’ Christen found out that Tobin is from New Jersey, the other side of the country, so far away from her family and friends, Christen doesn’t think she could ever be comfortable that far away from the people she loves,

 

“Is it hard?” She asks Tobin who responds with a soft humming,

 

“Is what hard?” Tobin questions.

 

“Your job? Living so far away from your family? Hardly getting to see them.” Christen adds/

 

Tobin pauses, giving Christen a sad smile. “It’s hard.” She says, “but it’s something I’ve accepted, I knew it wouldn’t be easy and I accepted that I was going to have to make sacrifices, that I would have to miss birthdays, miss milestones, knowing that sometimes I wouldn’t see my family for a month at a time; it’s difficult but you become used to it. I think the hardest part is missing my nephew’s milestones, he’s still only young and I feel like he’s growing up so fast I’m missing out on everything. It makes me appreciate the time I spend with them more though, I’ve always appreciated my family for everything they have done for me to get me to this point in my career but living away from them since I was eighteen just, it just makes me appreciate every small thing they continue to do for me even more. I think that’s what helps me cope with it.”

 

Christen looks upwards, blinking back the tears brimming her eyes.

 

“What’s wrong?” Tobin asks, visibly panicked, “Did I say something offensive?” She asks, clearly concerned but Christen just laughs a watery laugh,

 

“Gosh, no, Tobin. I just – you’re a wonderful person, you know.” Christen leans across and gently takes Tobin’s hand in her own. “You just amaze me, a lot.”

 

Tobin squeezes her hand in gratitude.

 

They eventually do order, and during their meal; they laugh, and continue the process of getting to know each other; Christen finds out that Tobin hates wearing shoes, Tobin finds out that one of Christen’s weirder quirks is wearing odd socks, such as striped and polka dots, Tobin tells Christen about her time at UNC and Christen talks about the love she has for her dogs. Tobin talks about her time playing overseas in France, her eyes clouding over when she talks about her teammates; Christen talks about her travels and her plans for future travels; ‘ _yes Tobin you can go on vacation to Antarctica._ ’

 

Overall, by the end of their meal; both are feeling refreshed, full, happy and content in each other’s presence, Christen’s earlier awful mood long forgotten thanks to the smiling midfielder opposite her. Tobin pays for the meal despite Christen’s insistent offering to at least split the bill, Tobin drives her back to the clinic and walks to the door with her, they both walk in and Julie’s stood at the front desk, leaning over and pointing at something on the computer screen whilst explaining something to Morgan.

 

“Well would you look here, the wanderer has finally returned.” Morgan teases when she sees Christen,

 

“Sorry. It was uh – it was my fault, I lost track of time.” Tobin explains before Christen can.

 

“It’s fine, it’s been pretty quiet anyway, I think Chris’ yelling earlier scared all the other patients away.” Morgan chuckles

 

Christen goes to fight back when she spots a cage sitting next to examination room 3; _oh great._

 

“Chris, Mr. Jackson’s here again.” Julie informs her, and Christen nods before turning to Tobin.

 

“So, thank you for this afternoon, I really appreciate it.” Christen says sincerely.

 

“It’s no problem.” Tobin shrugs casually, swinging her keys around her finger, “I just wanted to cheer you up.”

 

“You did a wonderful job, next time, I’ll pick something for us to do.” Christen nods, affirming the plans.

 

“Next time?” Tobin smirks, raising her eyebrows, “I can’t wait, but I don’t think parrot guy can, so I’ll text you okay?”

 

“You remember him?" Christen is surprised to say the least.

 

“I couldn’t forget your reaction the first time we met.” Tobin chuckles and it’s so contagious that Christen is laughing within seconds also, until she leans forward and kisses Tobin’s cheek.

 

“Thank you.” Christen smiles warmly.

 

“You’re welcome, I’ll see you later.” Tobin tells her again.

 

“I really mean it, thank you Tobin, today was great.” Christen knows she's time-wasting now.

 

“Christen, stop stalling.” Tobin smiles and Christen’s shoulders drop.

 

“Fine, don’t forget the cookies you had to get for Allie.” The vet reminds her and sends one last-award winning smile over her should before heading into the room. Tobin waves to Morgan before leaving the clinic and getting back into her car.

                                                              

                                                                                                           *****

 

She walks into the house, yawning and kicking her shoes off straight away, she walks into the living room and drops the box of cookies on the couch beside Allie who smiles gratefully, and Tobin flings herself down on the couch beside the blonde.

 

“You took four hours to go and get a box of cookies? You have lived in LA for three years.” Allie quizzes, raising her eyebrows in confusion.

 

“I was with Christen.” Tobin shrugs, stretching out and swinging her legs into Allie’s lap, Allie raises her eyebrows but other than that the blonde doesn’t seem too surprised at the explanation of Tobin’s whereabouts. “Hey, do you think a person can be home?” Tobin wonders.

 

“I have no idea what you’re asking me.” Allie deadpans and Tobin pauses as she tries to rephrase the question in a way that Allie could understand.

 

“You know the way a new city can become home, like LA is for us, do you think a person could also be considered that?” Tobin asks, simpler.

 

“I don’t see why not, why?” Allie turns so she is fully focused on Tobin.

 

“I was just wondering, I don’t know, Alex made me watch some cheesy movie last night.” Tobin plays it off, and stands up; “I’m going in the shower, where’s Al and KO?”

 

“Movies.” Allie replies, her focus turning back to her phone, Tobin nods and heads upstairs.

 

She showers and shakes off as much of the day as can, she yawns as she walks into her bedroom and flops back on her bed; looking down at the message notification from Allie, who is still downstairs, she thinks.

 

**[Allie Long]**

 

_Home?_

 

Attached is the picture that Allie sneaked from the game on Friday, of Tobin and Christen walking hand in hand with Mia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> drunk me is back people!! i really really love this chapter, it's just so cute, and let's be real guys, Mia the MVP of this story so far, what a little cutie
> 
> i am loving this story right now, like, I've been in a rut these last few months and my writing has been the most affected by everything but this particular fic has reignited my love for writing and i'm so grateful 
> 
> i love your feedback! it's encouraging me to write and post more, gosh, i'm just so grateful for your support - i love you <3


	4. Chapter 4

Things cool off after that, mainly because LA have two away games in a row;

 

They win the first game against Houston by a comfortable 3-0 score line; Alex scores a hat trick and makes a case of being smug as fuck to everybody in her path, she’s not egotistical, at all, honest.

 

The second match displays a number of issues for the LA team; after a heated game of table tennis conducted in the hotel in Chicago, Allie celebrates beating Kelley and Tobin in a; one against two and slips on the newly polished tiled floors, resulting in a tweak to her recently recovered ankle, putting her out of the game against the current third placed team in the table; their coach was left less than impressed.

 

Their bus breaks down on the highway, causing the game to be delayed by nearly an hour, and leaving the girls with barely ten minutes upon arrival to kickoff; and boy, the lack of a respectable warm-up shows when they fall a goal down just five minutes in thanks to some dodgy defending from the rookie center back.

 

In the absence of their captain; Tobin was slung the captain’s armband and she tries hard to rally her teammates as they jog back to their starting positions after falling a goal behind. She lays a hand on the rookie’s shoulder and she knows she should say something, but she can’t fathom the right words to reassure her, instead she squeezes her shoulder lightly and hopes that will convey all the reassurance she wants to give her. Jogging back to the center, she claps her hands together. “GUYS. WE GOT THIS.” She shouts, but not even she is entirely convinced.

 

When they concede a second goal on the stroke of half-time from a misinterpreted clearing header; Tobin tries hard to not accept that they are going to lose, but they look beaten, her teammates look completely done.

 

“This is bullshit!” Alex slings the water bottle across the locker room, in a fit of rage she narrowly misses Rose’s face, the younger snapping her head upwards just in type to see the almost apologetic smile flash across Alex’s lips before it’s gone and replaced with the signature scowl she has had plastered since they went a goal down. Neither Kelley or Tobin make an effort to calm the forward down, having crossed an angry Alex Morgan before – never again, in fact, they ride out the angry muttering that follows, until Kelley cracks when Alex let’s her anger completely take over her.

 

“You, fucking hell Kelley you’re playing so bad today! Why are you even playing, we have better rookies on the bench.”

 

“Screw you.” Kelley shoots back, pushing herself up from the bench and storming towards the locker room door but Tobin hops in the way and practically clotheslines her friend before she can leave.

 

“She’s angry.” Tobin sympathizes,

 

“We’re _all_ angry Tobin.” Kelley mutters.

 

“Alex is ‘Alex angry’, you and I both know she has the worst temper out of everybody we know.” Tobin wraps the arm that stopped Kelley from leaving around the defender in a one-armed hug. “You know she doesn’t mean it…” Tobin trails off, hooking her chin on Kelley’s shoulder, and she feels the freckled woman’s shoulders deflate and a soft sigh following.

 

“It’s not like she’s playing any better, she missed three clear cut chances.” Kelley says,

 

“I heard that!” Alex shouts over to them and Kelley shouts back that she was meant to. Tobin just laughs and releases Kelley from the hug.

 

“You two really are perfect for each other.” Tobin says, bluntly, and Kelley blushes before shoving her shoulder jokingly.

 

LA loses the game 4-1; Rose with a consolation goal in the dying minutes, and the team make sure to congratulate her on the goal, hoping if they make Rose feel better about herself, it would improve their moods, it doesn’t, but the smile on Rose’s face makes it worth it nonetheless.

 

Alex and Kelley continue their feud after the game, both too stubborn, or more so, Alex being too stubborn to admit she was out of line and blaming the comments she made about everybody on the game; Alex doesn’t bat an eyelid when Kelley bypasses her on the bus and throws herself down beside Tobin. Tobin’s phone vibrates in her lap, and despite the sulking pout she’s pulling, a small smile starts to appear when she catches the message.

 

**[Christen Press]**

 

_Sorry about the game. You played so well, I watched the game with Julie but I guess I’m not your good luck charm after all :(_

 

It was the night after they had beaten Houston, and Christen watched the game from her office; it was the string of texts that followed with Tobin calling Christen her good luck charm, and Christen was more than happy to accept the role.

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_I’m firing you from the role of good luck charm ;) thank you though, it was just a bad day for us all._

 

**[Christen Press]**

 

_That sounded like such an easy decision to fire me, Tobin Heath, I’m filing a complaint to your superior._

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_Do you mean Allie?_

 

**[Christen Press]**

 

_Of course I mean Allie._

 

Tobin falls asleep midway through replying, and listening to Kelley’s incessant grumbles about how inconsiderate Alex is, about why Alex hasn’t apologized for being an ass yet, why Alex hasn’t done something else. They are stuck in traffic when Kelley finally gives in and saunters down the bus, flopping into the empty seat beside Alex, _her_ seat. It’s something simple, something that shouldn’t even require an explanation, but Kelley could talk for hours about how her seat beside Alex means more than just sitting beside her best friend on the way to games.

 

“I expect a forty page apology and your acknowledgement that you were a complete jerk today.” Kelley jokes, albeit she’s still bitter.

 

“… I’m sorry.” The words are slow, barely audible and Alex’s voice is hoarse as she pushes her head off the window to turn and look at Kelley, the defender feels her remaining frustration melt away at the sight of Alex, teary-eyed and genuinely apologetic.

 

“Forget it. It’s no big deal.” Kelley mumbles, trying to dismiss the entire thing but Alex is more reluctant to let it slide and she reaches out to loosely intertwine their hands.

 

“You were right. I was a jerk, I shouldn’t have taken _my_ frustration out on the team, on our equipment, _on you_. I am sorry.” Alex mumbles, her voice wavering with every word.

 

“I know you are.” Kelley tells her.

 

“Are you sure?” It’s clear that Alex is still unsure, unable to figure out whether Kelley is accepting the apology for real or she’s just saying it to move the conversation along. “Kelley,” Alex reaches up and let’s her palm rest on Kelley’s cheek, forcing the older woman to look at her. “I mean it. I shouldn’t have done it, I – I’m really sorry.” Alex apologizes again.

 

“I know you are.” The words are repeated, but at a softer register and the faint smile covering Kelley’s lips is good enough for Alex to accept.

 

“Don’t ever choose to sit with Tobin again.” Alex yawns, slumping further down in her seat, shifting until she can comfortably nestle herself into Kelley’s arms.

 

“Never,” Kelley breathes out but Alex already has her eyes closed, probably asleep.

 

                                                                                                          *****

 

Tobin replies to the text once she wakes up, but doesn’t get a reply for a while so she drags herself across the hall to Allie’s room, waiting for the blonde to open up, she limps to the door, a bag of ice strapped to her ankle, “Bad?”

 

“Tolerable.” Allie shrugs hopping aside to let Tobin in.

 

It’s the first time Allie and Tobin have been alone just the two of them since Allie caught on that Tobin’s question about home was about Christen, Tobin knows she wants to talk about it, she needs to talk about what she’s feeling, what she’s thinking, but she wouldn’t know where to begin in that sense, having never been one to talk about her feelings before, at least not openly, willingly.

 

Tobin sits on the still made side of the bed, relaxing into the coolness of the pillows and relaxing, Allie limps back and repositions herself and props her ankle up on the cushion tossed to the end of the bed. The TV is on in the background, just loud enough to avoid the atmosphere being completely awkward, but the tension is increasing and Allie nervously taps against her thigh “We don’t have to – we could just watch something-” Allie starts to say

 

“How did you know?” Tobin interjects, surprising herself in the process that she’s the one to start this conversation.

 

“You weren’t that subtle.” Allie’s reply is what Tobin should have expected. “You have talked about Christen nonstop since you took Riley to see her, and I know for a fact whenever Alex puts on cheesy movies you go for a run to avoid having to sit through them.”

 

“I also know,” Allie continues, regaining Tobin’s attention. “You’re scared.” She states softly, almost as though she’s thinking of a way to express her next thoughts in a way that won’t have Tobin running for the door and running away from everything again. “I know you’re scared to put yourself back out there, back in that position.”

 

“I’m not scared.” Tobin weakly protests, signaling that Allie is right, not that she needed any clarification.

 

“No offence Tobs, but you’re terrified, it’s been two years, you can’t just expect to be single for the rest of your life because of what she did.” Allie tries to sympathize with her friend.

 

“I’m not afraid of Christen hurting me.” Tobin says after a long pause, and it isn’t necessarily completely connected to what Allie had just said, “I’m scared I’ll hurt her, I closed myself off after the last time – Allie – what if I can’t open myself back up?”

 

“Oh honey.” Allie coos and scoots closer, wrapping her arm around Tobin’s shoulder, pulling her into a hug, her hand goes to stroke through Tobin’s hair. Allie tries to think of something soothing, something that can reassure Tobin that things aren’t going to be like that, that she’s going to be fine, that her and Christen can be happy but she’s drawing blanks, so she just sits and hopes that the hug can convey everything she knows she wants to say to her friend. Tobin doesn’t cry, but she feels like it, but instead she closes her eyes and listens as Allie uses her talent of distraction to deflect the conversation into something that she is sure would bring a smile to her friend’s face. They talk about their upcoming camp, and Allie does her best to make sure by the time Tobin’s phone rings for the second time she has a genuine smile on her face.

 

“Take it.” Allie finally says, gesturing down to Tobin’s phone after it rang for the third time, “I need to go and get some more ice anyway.” Allie hauled herself off the bed and grabbed her sweatshirt before hobbling out of the room.

 

Tobin waited until the door clicked shut before grabbed her phone and called the number back, she settled back into the bed as the phone rang twice before the voice she needed to hear said hey. Christen’s voice was soothing, calm, and sending Tobin into a period of relaxation she didn’t realize she needed.

 

“I’m sorry about the game, really. You looked frustrated after…” she trails off and Tobin winces when she realizes the cameras must have caught her scowling and shaking the opposition’s hands like she had the entire world and more on her shoulders.

 

“It was just a really rough day, we missed Allie.” Tobin tries to shake it off, feeling her eyes starting to flutter as she’s overcome with tiredness; the actual frustration from the game had been shaken off just after the team had arrived back at the hotel, but Tobin’s own frustration to the way she played was still getting to her, still annoying her.

 

“You’re doing that thing again.” Christen’s voice is knowing, but soft, and Tobin can imagine her nose scrunched as she has her bottom lip tugged between her teeth, just like she does when she’s thinking. Tobin furrows her eyebrows as she asks Christen what she’s supposedly doing. “Overthinking your performance, whenever you go really quiet, you start overthinking.”

 

Tobin opens her mouth to argue that’s not what she does but now that she thinks of it, Christen is right.

 

“I do not…” she weakly protests and Christen laughs loudly on the other line,

 

“You have the same mannerisms as Kelley, it wasn’t that hard to pick up on – you two have spent so many years by each other’s sides it’s like you melted into one person.”

 

“And here I was thinking you had picked up on them all by yourself.” Tobin shoots back playfully,

 

“I picked up on a few things.” Christen answers back, and really, she should have expected Tobin to name five mannerisms/quirks she’s picked up on in the short time they have known each other.

 

“ _When you’re annoyed you clasp your hands behind your head and stare upwards_.”

 

“ _You cross your arms when you get all defensive_.”

 

“ _You pace when you’re thinking._ ”

 

“ _You’re scared of clowns._ ”

 

“ _You mumble bible verses throughout the day._ ”

 

“How did I do?” Christen asks after she rifles off the first five quirks she can think of; Tobin stays quiet for a second.

 

Christen and Tobin have known each other for approximately three weeks, give or take a couple of days, and Christen already has certain quirks memorized about her; Tobin would be lying if she said she wasn’t struggling to hold back a smile. “Y-You did good, _Press._ ”

 

“Press? Last names now, _Heath_?” Hearing her last name fall from Christen’s lips in a challenging tone brings a smirk to Tobin’s lips,

 

“No; it’s weird, it’s like I’m talking to Alex or Kelley.” Tobin instantly responds.

 

“Is that a bad thing?” Christen asks, genuinely intrigued by the comment, and Tobin hesitates for a moment,

 

“I guess not, but I don’t like Kelley and Alex the way I like you.” Tobin shrugs, trying to play the words off coolly.

 

Tobin’s eyes widen and she feels her fingers become tingly when Christen takes a second too long to answer,

 

Tobin is just about to try and dig herself a bigger hole when Christen finally says something in return. “It’s a good thing I like you differently to how I like Kel and Alex too.”

 

They fall into a comfortable silence for a short while until Christen speaks up again, just as Tobin is starting to doze off with the phone pressed against her ear. “Isn’t it nearly midnight there? You should sleep.”

 

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Tobin yawns, mustering up the remainders of her energy, Christen chuckles.

 

“Never, but you sound tired, love, you should get some sleep.” Tobin doesn’t know whether Christen slipped up or said it intentionally but the midfielder didn’t want to bring it up, hoping it was in fact intentional.

 

“I’ll see _you_ when you get home, goodnight Tobin.”

 

“I can’t wait,” Tobin mumbles sleepily, the phone already slipping out of her hand. “Goodnight Christen.”

 

Allie returns back a short while later, more ice strapped to her ankle and laughs softly, shaking her head at Tobin passed out on her bed; she hops over and pulls a blanket over her friend before busying herself until she’s ready for bed.

 

                                                                                                               *****

 

Christen and Tobin don’t really talk on the Sunday; a few texts here and there but between Tobin and the team traveling back to LA and Christen working; they’re too busy to sit down and have a proper conversation that doesn’t start and end with

 

_How are you?_

 

_I have to go, work calls_

 

Tobin doesn’t mind though, babysitting Kelley O’Hara in the airport seems to be taking up most of their waiting time. “No Kelley, nobody needs a bag of M&M’s that are heavier than a six month old baby.” Seems to be the recurring theme of most of their conversations as the pair causally stroll through the shops.

 

“How’s Christen?” Kelley asks, poking her head up from where she’s sifting through shelves for something to eat.

 

“Why are you asking me?” Tobin asks back, slightly defensively as she crosses her arms, feeling the heat start to build up her neck.

 

“Tobin.” Kelley starts and the midfielder rolls her eyes as she knows what’s coming. “You have talked to Christen more in this last month than I have in the last three.”

 

“That’s a lie.” Tobin deadpans, emotionless as she stares at her friend.

 

“Is not!” Kelley raises her voice, receiving a glare from the teenager behind the counter. “It’s not, you’re always texting her or calling her or going to surprise her at work, you’re whipped dude.”

 

“I’m not whipped for Christen.” Tobin scowls,

 

“You’re totally whipped for Christen,” another voice responds along with another voice humming in agreement, turning around; Allie and Alex have finally woken up from their naps and joined them.

 

“Stop ganging up on me.” Tobin whines, unimpressed at her friends’ actions, then again, it’s not the first time they have tried to insinuate something.

 

_Vegas was an interesting weekend._

 

“I don’t know why you won’t just admit you like her.” Allie shrugs, circling Tobin absentmindedly, scanning the shelves for something.

 

“It’s not like you’re hiding it very well.” Alex adds.

 

“I don’t know why you’re so sure I’m hiding something.” Tobin laughs, but the nervousness at the back of her throat gives her away, straight away.

 

“Tobin you’re practically smitten.” Allie chuckles,

 

“Are you a middle-aged woman?” Tobin wonders, genuinely concerned for her midfield partner.

 

“Are you hiding your feelings for Christen?” Allie questions, and Tobin backs away from her friends holding her hands up.

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She sings, “You’re all just hung up on this, not me.”

 

“I haven’t seen you like this since Paris.” Kelley manages to get the words out before Tobin can stop her like she usually does, and the friends fall quiet.

 

Alex’s wolf-whistling comes to an abrupt halt and Allie’s teasing of Tobin’s pink cheeks halts. Kelley doesn’t seem fazed, usually she would straight away apologize for bringing up _that_ aspect of Tobin’s life, but this time, in a busy airport on a mid-Sunday morning, it needed to be said. Tobin doesn’t respond, in fact her facial expression just drops to an emotionless stare straight ahead to where Kelley is stood, leaning over the shelf to look at her. Alex and Allie both share uneasy glances and both flock to their ‘other half’; Alex tries to pull Kelley away and Allie tries to push Tobin out of the shop but neither brunettes budge,

 

“Just because I make friends with someone, it doesn’t mean I’ll fall in love with them.” Tobin finally says, and her voice is eerily calm, making Alex and Allie feel even more uncomfortable at being caught up in this conversation.

 

“How’s that working out for you?” Kelley challenges

 

“You tell me, you’re in the exact same position.” Tobin gestures towards Kelley who backs off slightly, having not expected Tobin to bite back.

 

“I asked you.” Kelley shoots back.

 

“The pleasure is all mine, really.” Tobin smiles wide and plasters a faked, sickly sweet voice on to add to Kelley’s building annoyance.

 

Finally, the announcement that their flight is boarding cuts the pair off before it can escalate and this time Kelley is easier to drag away by Alex; Tobin walks with Allie, the blonde’s arm slung around her shoulder. “What the hell was that about?” Allie questioned, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

 

“I don’t know, Kelley needs to get laid and she’s taking it out on everyone?” Tobin suggests.

 

“We need boundaries in this friendship.” Allie deadpans as they rejoin their teammates.

 

They arrive back in LA a few hours later, wanting nothing more than to just go home and go to bed, sleep away the disastrous week they have had in terms of soccer, “I’m so tired.” Alex whines, shuffling around in the back seat of Allie’s Range Rover, struggling to get comfortable. “God, Tobin, why are your legs so damn long?”

 

“You just kicked Allie’s seat.” Kelley shows her, but Alex is too frustrated to care.

 

They finally arrive home and fall out of the car, racing towards the house, until Allie shouts and reminds Alex they have to go and pick up Riley from Bati’s. That left Tobin and Kelley alone, both having not spoken, hell neither have looked in the other’s direction since the airport. Tobin initially debates just apologizing and putting the sudden mood change down to a random mood-swing but she decides against it and heads into the house, immediately heading for the stairs until Kelley’s hand on her arm stops her.

 

“Can we talk?” She asks sheepishly, her voice falling to an unusually small register and Tobin can see the sorry in her eyes so she agrees. They drop their bags and head out to their spot for talking;

 

_Allie and Tobin have Allie’s bedroom,_

 

_Allie and Alex have the kitchen_

 

_Kelley and Alex have Alex’s room_

 

_Kelley and Allie have the living room_

 

_Alex and Tobin have Tobin’s car (for some reason)_

 

 _But Kelley and Tobin’s spot has always been the patio;_ the reason being the first time they had a heart-to-heart was the time they both forgot their keys whilst Allie and Alex were out and were forced to sit in the rain for an hour until they returned home. They both sit down on the steps, knees pressed against each other’s.

 

“Sorry for being an – um – an asshole. I know you hate hearing about her.” Kelley stutters out nervously.

 

Tobin accepts the apology in her mind first, but really, she’s thinking about Kelley bringing it up, how Kelley can bring it up so casually now, even Allie and Alex can; they don’t, but they could, how Tobin wishes she could talk about it as casually as they can, it fucking hurts though, it still pains her to even begin to think about.

 

“You were right.” Tobin admits, and Kelley’s ears perk up.

 

“I like where this is going, continue.” She chuckles softly, nudging Tobin’s shoulder but Kelley holds her hand up, “wait, I’m never right…”

 

“I know, shocker.” Tobin rolls her eyes playfully causing Kelley to slap her shoulder in mock-offence. “About her, you were right when you told me I was over her a long time ago. I just didn’t want to accept that I was because now I can’t stop myself.”

 

“Stop what?” Kelley asks, bewildered by the vagueness of Tobin’s words.

 

“From admitting I like Christen.” Tobin finally admits it out loud.

 

“ _Just because I make friends with someone, it doesn’t mean I’ll fall in love with them_.” Kelley smirks repeating Tobin’s words from earlier, Tobin just rolls her eyes in response.

 

“Yeah, yeah.” She brushes the comment off, “do you think I have a chance?” Tobin asks, switching the seriousness of their conversation again.

 

“Dude, Christen likes you, a lot.” Kelley tells her honestly.

 

“Wait, really?” Tobin asks, straightening up and letting the excited-ness fall from her tone.

 

“I wish I was lying, she talks about you a lot, and it’s _disgusting._ ” Kelley pulls an obscenely disgusted face at Tobin. “Our message thread is basically Christen gushing over how cute you are, she’s really grateful for helping her with that bad day she was having. She’s been ‘on top of the world’ ever since.”

 

“So, I have a chance?” Tobin asks once more for clarification.

 

“Yes Tobs, you have a real chance.” Kelley tells her, clarifying once and for all.

 

“You’re the best, KO.” Tobin sighs, leaning into her friend’s side before pushing herself up. “Pizza for dinner?”

 

“Always.” Kelley replies with a smile, Tobin is just about to head inside when Kelley’s voice stops her, “Hey Tobin, I like Alex.”

 

Tobin stops and turns. “I know. The whole world knows. You’re not subtle.” Tobin jokes at first but when she sees Kelley chewing on her bottom lip, she knows the issue is running much deeper than a confession Allie and Tobin have been betting on for the last year.

 

“Okay, I don’t like her. I love her. Like, fuck, she makes me so happy even when she’s yelling at me. There is no way Alex even likes me back a fraction of the way I like her.” Kelley stumbles, blushing a dark crimson color.

 

“Don’t be a dumbass, KO. Al loves you.” Tobin laughs, glancing over her shoulder once more before entering the house.

 

                                                                                                        *****

 

Allie and Alex return home with Riley who immediately jumps onto the couch shared by Kelley and Tobin, settling himself in-between two of his favorite humans (after Alex), the pizza arrives soon after and the four settle in for a chilled night; watching movies and Tobin pretends not to notice the way Kelley is staring at Alex as she mumbles Mean Girls line for line. They head up to bed a little after 1AM; all surprised they managed to stay awake that long in the first place considering how ready for bed they were when they arrived back in LA. Tobin and Kelley clean up downstairs before ascending the stairs.

 

“What are you doing?” Tobin asks as Kelley heads towards Alex’s bedroom.

 

“I sleep there, most nights. Alex asked me one night and it never stopped.” Kelley answers, though her eyes are still stuck on the room.

 

“And you think she doesn’t love you.” Tobin mumbles, knowing Alex’s door is open and she doesn’t want the forward to catch anything.

 

“Whatever, Heath. Ask your girl on a date.” Kelley smirks, finally tearing her eyes away to look at Tobin.

 

“She’s not my girl.” Tobin mutters,

 

“Yet.” Kelley sings over her shoulder as she enters Alex’s room, closing the door over.

 

“She’s not my girl.” Tobin huffs out as she walks into her own bedroom.

 

Tobin gets ready for bed, and she’s lying back when she calls Christen; not even registering the late hour until a sleepy and soft voice answers the phone. “Tobin Heath, to what do I owe the pleasure at 1:23AM?”

 

“Oh shit. I forgot about the time. Sorry, it can wait-” Tobin starts

 

“Tobin?” Christen sounds more alert now, there’s shuffling before it settles, “Is everything okay?” She asks. “Are you okay?” She sounds slightly panicked and Tobin feels bad for waking her.

 

“It’s, I’m fine, and everything’s fine, I just wanted – to – um – I-just-wanted-to-ask-you-on-a-date?” Tobin rushes out, feeling her heart rate start to accelerate.

 

“Tobin, I find your mumbling adorable, but I’m going to need you to be clearer.” Christen's soft laugh comes over the other line.

 

“I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me?” Tobin repeats, slower, steadily breathing as Christen pauses on the other line; Tobin is ready to hang up when Christen answers.

 

“I’d love to, Tobin.” And the midfielder can hear the smile in the other woman’s voice “but this couldn’t have waited until tomorrow, when I wasn’t asleep?”

 

“Sorry about that.” Tobin laughs nervously, rubbing at the back of her neck. “I’ll let you go back to sleep-”

 

“I’m awake now, tell me about your day.” Christen sounds genuinely interested and not as though she's fighting back the urge to fall asleep again.

 

And if the pair of them fall asleep midpoint through Christen telling her about the cutest dog she saw in the park during her jog; Allie promises herself she won’t tease her brunette buddy over breakfast that morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> props to anybody who knows what song the title of this fic is from! 
> 
> I have a few more chapters of this all ready and written out, so for now updates are going to come a lot sooner than the majority of my updates have been - but college is also kicking my ass so i'm stressed, guys, like, a lot. 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter! it's not my favorite but we're definitely getting into the story now, even if it is a little bit of a slow burn. 
> 
> I need more reasons to bring Mia back in, she's so adorable, I love her. kudos, comments and feedback is always appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

Christen is on top of cloud nine when she walks into work the following day, she practically skips into the surgery, holding doors open with a bright smile on her face, clutching the lilac travel mug in her hand. She greets the waiting patients and takes her time, kneeling in front of the waiting dogs and cats, and Mrs. Davies’ canary; Belle.

 

“You’re happy?” Morgan acknowledges, looking up from her desk and waiting for Christen to turn around and face her.

 

“It’s a glorious morning, Morgan.” Christen replies with a shrug and a wide smile.

 

“Glorious? Did you get laid?” Morgan asks, rather excitedly for 8:03AM on a Monday morning, Christen scrunches her nose at the forwardness of the question.

 

“You need some boundaries, but no, I didn’t.” Christen replies, swinging around the side of the desk and plopping down in the empty chair beside her friend’s.

 

“So what, what’s making you this happy?” Morgan asks, shuffling around in her chair and reaching for her half-eaten pastry on the desk.

 

“I can’t just be happy? For no reason?” Christen wonders aloud, bringing the mug to her lips.

 

“Oh sure you can,” Morgan shrugs, tearing at a piece of pastry, “But something is making you extra happy.”

 

“Tobin asked me on a date.” Christen finally spills.

 

“Christen!” Morgan squeals in her face, “You two are so cute! When did it happen? How did she ask you? Oh my gosh, spill everything.” Morgan gushes, leaning forward and pressing her palms into Christen’s black jeans. Christen laughs before pushing Morgan’s chair back with her foot,

 

“What question do you want me to answer first?” Christen asks,

 

“When did it happen?” Morgan thinks before asking.

 

“This morning, like 1:30AM.” Christen yawns and gestures to her coffee, “which is why I need this more than ever.”

 

Morgan gives up after asking five questions, “You’re doing that thing.” She points out, glancing up from her computer for a moment leading Christen to furrow her eyebrows.

 

“What thing?” The vet questions.

 

“The weird grin that Julie has on her face when Zach comes and surprises her.” Morgan explains (badly).

 

“That weird grin? You have got such a way with words.” Christen deadpans, rolling her eyes.

 

“I know, don’t you have patients to see?” Morgan switches the subject and feigning offence; Christen stands up.

 

“Trying to get rid of me?” Christen places a hand on her heart.

 

“Always,” the brunette shoots back with a smirk.

 

“You’re lucky we’re friends.” Christen mutters heading into her office and starting her day with Mrs. Davies and her canary.

 

                                                                                                *****

 

“So you asked her out? For real? Like with words?” Kelley wonders aloud.

 

“What else did you expect me to use?” Tobin asks, tilting her head to the side as she and Kelley make their way into the parking lot.

 

“Don’t give me that look, usually at the sight of a pretty girl you lose the ability to say hello.” Kelley shrugs, holding her hand up for Tobin to toss her the car keys.

 

Kelley unlocks the car and both throw their bags into the trunk before getting into the car. “I’m just surprised is all.” Kelley shrugs, turning the engine on and pulling out.

 

“How is me getting a date surprising?” Tobin asked, a tad offended by the words. Kelley looked in the rearview mirror, a small grin playing on her lips as Tobin tapped her fingers against her thigh in anticipation for what loving insult Kelley was going to pay her next.

 

“It’s just you have absolutely zero game, Tobs.” Kelley glanced over to her friend, laughing when she caught the offended expression on her face. “Come on dude, even you can’t deny it; remember Boston? That really hot blonde that I _let_ you have and within ten minutes you had made her so bored she left alone?”

 

Tobin furrows her eyebrows, she remembers Boston and she remembers the stuffy bar that Kelley and Allie insisted on going to, but after that everything becomes hazy, and judging by the disgruntled face Kelley is pulling – it’s probably best she doesn’t remember. Kelley gives up insulting straight after and switches the subject to the date itself.

 

“Where are you taking her?” Kelley changes the subject.

 

Tobin shrugs, “Dinner?”

 

“Unoriginal.” Kelley dismisses with a wave of her hand, “dinner dates are boring, and so are movies,” she adds, and Tobin frowns,

 

“I’m out of ideas.” She immediately concedes.

 

“Jeez,” Kelley laughs “you really haven’t been on many dates have you?”

 

“You have known me since we were teenagers, you already knew that.” Tobin mutters in discontent. “Fine, where would you go on a date?” Tobin asks her.

 

“A concert.” Kelley answers immediately, “or a festival, basketball game, a zoo!” Kelley rifles off four ideas at once. “You could take her to a rock concert.”

 

“Christen likes rock music?” Tobin wonders aloud, and Kelley hums in response.

 

“God, do you two even talk about your interests?” Kelley laughs, although she’s genuinely concerned.

 

“We talked about traveling.” Tobin replies,

 

“I’d save the spontaneous trip to Barcelona for at least the third date.” Kelley informs her.

 

“That’s not helping.” Tobin shoots back and Kelley raises her eyebrows before whining that she suggested four ideas. “I know I’m going to regret this but will you help me plan the date?”

 

“I thought you would never ask.” Kelley grinned widely, bouncing in her seat as she stopped at the traffic lights. “First of all, your wardrobe is a complete disaster and your originality…” Kelley trails off leading Tobin to shuffle down in her seat,

 

“I’m regretting this already.” The midfielder mumbles.

 

“ALLIE!” Kelley shouts, throwing the door open and running into the house, she lunges forward and throws herself on the couch, atop of the blonde who screams out at the sudden flying defender. “SHE CAVED!” Kelley yells at the top of her lungs as a (slightly frightened) Tobin enters the room, dropping her shoes by the door.

 

“Jeez KO, not so loud.” Allie finally huffs out; shoving her friend off her and onto the floor but not even the fall distracts from Kelley’s unbridled excitement at being in charge of Tobin’s first proper date in nearly a year. “Seriously though, you of all people, caved, and let _Kelley_ help with this?” Allie pointed her finger at Tobin.

 

“I was drawing blanks, I had no choice.” Tobin groans, throwing herself down on the other couch tiredly. “Christen deserves an amazing date,”

 

“Especially after agreeing to go out with you.” Allie throws the comment out, smirking and seeing if she could get a rise out of Tobin but all she received was a pathetic glare in return before Tobin announced she was taking a nap and for Kelley to not burn the house down in the next hour.

 

Whilst Tobin was napping; Kelley and Allie disappeared into the kitchen with a notepad and pen in hand. “Are we not taking this a bit too seriously?” Allie wondered, looking at the albeit-fake glasses Kelley was wearing and how prepared the defender was. “Do you have some ulterior motive?” The blonde questions, narrowing her eyes.

 

“What? Don’t be stupid.” Kelley waves the statement off and proceeds to start writing down her date ideas from before.

 

“Tobin hates amusement parks.” Allie points out from where she was resting her chin and looking over Kelley’s shoulder, “but Alex loves them…” Allie trailed off, grinning and watching Kelley’s cheeks turn a dark crimson shade.

 

“Christen loves them too.” Kelley tried to defend the suggestion.

 

“Christen taking Tobin on a roller coaster and having to deal with her throwing up afterwards? Romantic.” Allie chuckles, though sarcastically as Kelley groans and scribbles the two words out. “They could go to that – wait – there’s a festival right, wait a minute.” Allie reaches for her phone and starts searching for local festivals.

 

“I knew it!” She shoves her phone into Kelley’s waiting hand and waits as Kelley scrolls through the information.

 

“A light festival?” Kelley asked skeptically.

 

“Illuminations.” Allie corrected.

 

“I thought that was Christmas?” Kelley asks, tilting her head to the side.

 

“No you uncultured swine, illuminations doesn’t just mean Christmas lights.” Allie muttered taking her phone back.

 

“It’s got to be a good idea,” Kelley reminds her friend.

 

“You said Christen likes basketball? Why not that? Mine and Bati’s first date was a New York City game.” Allie says pointing to where basketball is written in Kelley’s messy handwriting.

 

“Didn’t your first date with him end in a fight and you walking home alone in the snow?” Kelley asks tilting her head to the side, but Allie just shrugs.

 

“So? We’re still together now, aren’t we?” Allie stiffened up, defending herself.

 

Kelley taps her pen against the notepad, “the last time I tried to watch a basketball game with Tobin she fell asleep three minutes in and didn’t wake up until it was over.”

 

“Are you creating problems or?” Allie was starting to get genuinely concerned for the seriousness of her buddy, she liked Kelley best when she was her typical moronic self; some of her best ideas came from her bubbly personality. “What’s up?” Allie pushes, nudging Kelley’s thigh with her foot.

 

“What if they don’t work out? Do I have to pick sides?” Kelley swallows thickly and looked up at Allie with a nervous glint in her eyes.

 

“It’s one date… Christen wouldn’t let that happen, she values all of us.” Allie tries to reassure her. “We’re right anyway, Christen and Tobin are completely smitten with each other, even a disaster of a first date wouldn’t ruin that.”

 

 

 

“I’ve missed this so much,” Julie sighs happily nestling back into the couch as she accepts the glass of red wine that Christen is handing her.

 

“Are you sure you just haven’t missed the free wine, giant TV and my couch?” Christen teases,

 

“I didn’t want to be rude!” Julie exclaims before laughing as Christen settles into the couch beside her friend. “It feels like forever since we did this.” The blonde sighs.

 

“We did this last Wednesday night?” Christen reminds her,

 

“Exactly Chris; that was five days ago.” Julie shoots her a grin before taking a sip of wine. “Hey Chris, Christen, Press,” Julie continues to poke Christen’s side with her foot as the elder scrolled through Netflix trying to find a lame-ass movie for them to laugh at whilst they make their way through two bottles of wine.

 

“I miss Morgan.” The darker haired woman says, finally pushing Julie’s foot away from her.

 

“Speaking of; Morgan says Tobin asked you out, why was I not told?” Julie feigns offence.

 

“You weren’t there,” Christen shrugs, giving up on finding a movie for the moment and turning facing the blonde. “Also, I was too tired to even think about calling you and having you excitedly squeal down my ear at 2AM.”

 

“So, where are you guys going? Dinner date? Movies? Whisked off to Paris for the weekend?” Julie wonders, rifling off ideas.

 

“You do realize a flight to Paris from LA would take eleven hours? Not to mention the nine hour time difference.” Christen raises her eyebrows at her friend.

 

“Okay genius; that was a bad example.” Julie states with an eye roll. “I wonder where she’s going to take you, what are you going to wear? Oh my god! Can we go shopping for a new outfit? Christen, this is going to be amazing, I’m so happy-”

 

Christen quickly puts Pitch Perfect on, hoping to subdue Julie and watch her fumble over Brittany Snow. “ _It’s not gay to have a crush on a really hot actress, Christen!_ ”

 

It’s kind of gay.

 

                                                                                           *****

 

Christen is in the surgery on Wednesday when her phone buzzes from the desk, she tries to stop herself from going to get it, knowing she has to fill out a bunch of paperwork by midday, and she still has five forms to go with a little under thirty minutes left. She bites down on the top of her pen but her curiosity gets the better of her and she walks across the room to retrieve the device. She isn’t disappointed when she finds the text is from Tobin.

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

_How does Saturday sound?_

 

Feeling in a humorous mood; Christen taps out a reply

 

**[Christen Press]**

_Like, sat-‘er’-day?_

 

She continues filling the form out whilst she waits for a response, unusually finding herself laughing at her own joke, still. She is left with four forms left when her phone vibrates again.

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

_You’re funny._

 

Followed by another text.

 

_I meant for our date, does Saturday work for you? Our game against Boston is on Friday night instead._

 

Christen thinks for a moment, she should in all honesty know if she’s working on Saturday or not, but even then, she figures taking the day off would not only be a well-deserved break, but also worth it for spending the day with Tobin. She quickly brings up the schedule and is much relieved when she remembers she switched shifts with Julie because the blonde has dinner with her fiancé’s parents on Sunday.

 

**[Christen Press]**

_Saturday sounds perfect. What are we doing?_

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

_Why would I spoil the surprise?_

 

Christen should have guessed, tapping out the eye-rolling emoji five times, she sends the text and pushes her phone aside, focusing completely on her paperwork and trying hard to ignore how quick time was running out to get it finished. Christen gets to work after that, regretting scheduling a bunch of appointments for the afternoon, after the fifth, even the excitement of seeing her regular patients wears off, she’s exhausted and wants nothing more than to go home and take a three hour nap.

 

“You look like shit.” Is the first thing Julie says when she enters Christen’s surgery room.

 

“Thanks,” Christen sends Julie a tired thumbs up as she leans back in her chair as Julie searches the cupboards.

 

“Do you have the eye drops for – got them.” Julie asks before she pulls the box of eye drops down. “I only have to finish up with Charlie, the Labrador? I love that little guy – go home, I’ll close up.”

 

“Are you sure?” Christen yawns, and Julie just laughs in response.

 

“Go home Chris, Morgan and I are going to be leaving in about twenty minutes anyway.” Julie persuades.

 

“Have I ever told you I love you?” Christen asks pulling herself to her feet and grabbing her bag from the back of the chair.

 

“Not as often as I like hearing it.” Julie jokes heading out of the room. “Get some sleep!” The shout is faintly heard and Christen nods, knowing that’s exactly what she’s planning on doing when she gets home. Christen waves goodbye to Morgan before leaving and heading to her car.

 

She practically falls into her apartment, dropping her bag and kicking her shoes off, she strokes behind Morena’s ears for a minute before trudging straight to her bedroom, swapping her shirt and jeans for sweatpants and a sports bra and falling into bed, and asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow, Morena jumps up on the other side of the bed, settling down with her own head by Christen’s.

 

She wakes up feeling a lot more refreshed than she was, she stretches before falling into her normal routine; first she takes Morena downstairs before heading back and feeding her, she starts on her own dinner, making salad, because it was the only thing that involved the less work, she leaves her dinner and heads for a quick shower before grabbing her dinner and settling on the couch for a few episodes of; Breaking Bad.

 

She finishes, and so has season 1 of Breaking Bad; she gets up and grabs her purse from where she dropped it upon arrival home; she searches for her phone and finds a reply from Tobin and a text from Julie.

 

**[Julie ‘the better vet’ Johnston]**

_Want to go to the game with me on Friday?_

 

Christen doesn’t even have to think about it before she’s replying with yes, more than happy to go to a soccer game, especially if that soccer game involves Tobin Heath – and Kelley, Alex and Allie too…

 

 

 

“This is weird. I don’t like it.” Are Ashlyn’s first words when she enters the house, Ethan hot on her heels as Ali and Olivia walk hand-in-hand after the pair. “It’s Thursday night. Thursday night dinner doesn’t sound as good as Friday night dinner.”

 

“Ma, stop.” Ethan whines, rolling his eyes. “Auntie Toby!” His mood suddenly improves when he catches Tobin waiting for him to run towards her. Ethan rushes into the midfielder’s arms.

 

“Ash has a point, Thursday night dinner just sounds strange.” Kelley hums in agreement. “The last time we didn’t have a Friday night dinner on Friday was the night Olivia was born. You hear that kid, you broke the run. It’s your fault.” Kelley tries to joke, but still, she was bitter over that night.

 

“Mommy what did I do?” Olivia asks innocently, pouting up at Ali whilst tightening her grip on her mom’s hand.

 

“Nothing sweetie, Auntie Kelley’s just being mean. Stop scaring my daughter.” Ali sighs softly before she slaps Kelley’s arm and leads Olivia into the house.

 

“You’re so mean to children.” Alex says to her as she walks downstairs.

 

“They’re demons.” Kelley bites back.

 

“Ethan and Olivia are lovely,” Alex disagrees, “You’re just saying that because your kids will have your genes and be terrors.”

 

“Not unless you have them.” Kelley says it before she’s realized and Alex blushes but rolls her eyes to play it off.

 

Tobin and Kelley take Ethan and Olivia out into the garden to play some soccer with them, leaving the four ‘adults’ to sit and talk whilst dinner cooks. “I think we want to have another baby.” Ali announces to their friends.

 

Allie chokes on her wine. “Another one?!”

 

Alex chuckles, “I thought we were the ones with the biggest news.”

 

“What news?” Ashlyn asks, wrapping her arm around the back of the couch.

 

“Tobin has a date with Christen on Saturday.” Alex hums lightly.

 

Ashlyn spits out a mouthful of beer she’s drinking, clearly shocked by the news. “Tobin? Tobin Heath? Tobin ‘I’m perfectly fine being single’ Heath has a date?”

 

Ali shakes her head at her wife, “Yes; now another baby?” Alex quickly switches the subject back and listen as Ali nervously voices her fears but certainty that she wants to have another baby before she gets too old. Hearing the laughter die down,

 

Ali turns to the other two Alexandra’s. “Not a word, we don’t want to get their hopes up of a sibling just yet.”

 

Alex and Allie mimic locking and throwing the key away as the four re-enter the room, Olivia runs and Ali lifts her onto her lap. “Mommy I scored.”

 

“That’s my girl,” Ali gushed as she pressed a kiss to her daughter’s forehead.

 

“Ma, I think I want to be a keeper, Auntie KO says I’m gonna be as good as you.” Ethan says proudly, holding the goalkeeping gloves to his chest.

 

“I said better Ethan.” Kelley corrects. “Ash didn’t exactly set the boundary that high.” Kelley smirks at Ashlyn.

 

“I did a better job than you, didn’t I?” Ashlyn challenges the freckled woman.

 

“You got lucky.” Kelley argues.

 

“Oh god, not this again.” Alex and Ali both whine and lean back, rolling their eyes as the National Team camp in Denver in 2013 is revisited.

 

Long story short; Kelley had been bragging all morning that goalkeeping was easy and Ashlyn had finally had enough and thrown her gloves in the defender’s hands whilst telling her to put her money where her mouth is. Tobin and Alex were tasked with five penalties each, it was level at two saves each with the final penalty from both; Ashlyn won because Kelley slipped when going down for Tobin’s penalty and completely ate shit.

 

Their dinner goes fine, and Ashlyn and Kelley’s complaining over Denver and it being Thursday night dies down quickly, instead they all just relish each other’s company, focusing more on the stories that Ethan and Olivia tell them until the kids get distracted. Ethan and Olivia fall asleep on the couch whilst the last of the wine and beer gets drunk, Ali and Ashlyn carry the kids out with Ashlyn telling them they will see them at the game tomorrow.

 

“Another successful dinner, who said we can’t be fully-functioning adults?” Kelley grins proudly, high-fiving Tobin.

 

“Me, goodnight children.” Allie yawns already making her way up the stairs.

 

                                                                                                *****

 

“Do you have any idea how bad rush hour traffic is in LA?” Julie asked, forgetting her boundaries and walking into Christen’s bedroom, not batting an eyelid at her best friend rushing around the room in just a pair of jeans and a bra.

 

“You know,” Christen starts, “after living in the LA area for the last twenty-something years of my life, I happened to overlook that small detail.” She quips, swiping the jersey from the back of her dressing room table chair. “Also, get some boundaries.” Christen says narrowing her eyes at Julie as she pulls the jersey over her head. She fluffs her hair and swivels on the spot as she dives on her jean jacket, making sure to take her phone off charge at the same time.

 

Julie starts to impatiently tap her foot as she leans against the doorframe. “The game kicks off at eight, Chris.”

 

“I know.” Christen mumbles. “Your last three texts are a constant reminder.” Christen puts her jacket on and spreads her arms out, “Happy? I’m ready. Let’s go.”

 

Christen pushes Julie out of her bedroom and towards the front door of her apartment. “You know you turn into an excitable child at the prospect of a soccer game?” Christen deadpans, rolling her eyes at her best friend.

 

“You’re like my mom at soccer games, boring and can’t wait to go home.” Julie retorts, snorting at her lame-ass attempt of a joke.

 

Julie insists on driving, and Christen buckles in knowing for a fact that just because Julie looks at road signs – it doesn’t mean she actually takes notice of them. Christen is leaning back in her seat, her hand curled around the seatbelt and she has her eyebrows knitted as Julie pulls onto the highway, out of the corner of her eye; Julie notices the panicked expression slowly making its way onto Christen’s face.

 

“Hey, are you good?” Julie asks, turning and focusing on Christen’s face, reaching out to place a gentle hand on her arm.

 

“Watch the road!” Christen cries out, wincing at the near miss between Julie’s car and the car in the next line cutting in front of her. “Damnit Jules, just – don’t kill us.”

 

Julie’s laughs echo through the car as she turns her attention back fully to the activity in question.

 

“Did you die?” Julie asks for the fifth time as they are both walking towards the stadium.

 

“That’s not even the point.” Christen sighs exasperatedly. “You’re a terrible driver and you know it.” Christen adds for effect, the effect being that Julie rolled her eyes overdramatically.

 

They hang around the outside of the stadium for a while, they get something to drink and eat and Christen spends ten minutes trying to rub the mustard stain out of Julie’s light-wash jean jacket, before they finally take their seats just in time to watch the teams walk out onto the field.

 

The anthem is played and the game kicks off; from what Julie has told Christen; Boston are the team second from bottom in the league having only won one game this season, LA are still fighting strong in third place, battling against Chicago for the second spot currently being held by the Illinois team. Julie also tells Christen not to get her hopes up as LAFC have a habit of failing to win games they should be winning – words that are echoed throughout the stadium as the announcer confirms the opening goal for Boston after thirteen minutes. Julie shuffled around beside Christen, pressing the soles of her Nikes into the back of the empty seat in front; cheers of encouragement were few and far between and Christen tried not to feel too disheartened at the score line.

 

“This is bullshit.” Julie mutters under her breath as another rookie gave up possession for the second attack in a row. Christen stifles her laughter, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets as Julie tears her eyes away from the game to raise her eyebrows at her friend.

 

“You get so into these games.” Christen laughs, sitting up taller as Allie regains possession, the team surge forward.

 

The ball is played out onto the flank where Kelley is blazing forward, bypassing the Boston outside back with ease, she whips her foot around the ball sending a cross into the box; Alex rises highest, her hands pressed into the Boston defender’s shoulders as she diverts the cross into the bottom right corner of the goal, just out of the keeper’s reach.

 

1-1

 

Christen’s applauding the goal, and Julie is beside her, bouncing up and down and hugging the man standing behind her as the announcer confirms the Alex Morgan equalizer.

 

During half time; Julie and Christen head downstairs to grab something to eat, they’re standing off to the side, Christen has a mouthful of food when Julie snaps her fingers,

 

“You should ask Tobin for her jersey.” Julie cuts the silence.

 

Spluttering, Christen lifts her head to meet Julie’s eyes. “I should – what?”

 

“I dare you.” Julie says with a teasing undertone to her voice.

 

Christen swallows thickly, narrowing her eyes and pulling her jacket further around herself to try and delay answering. Julie tries to hide her smirk by putting her drink to her lips but Christen can see the curling of her lips and she purses her lips in return.

 

“Fine.” The elder answers. “What do I get if I get the jersey?”

 

Julie thinks for a moment, she thinks of what she would class as her least favorite punishment, “I’ll walk Morena for an entire month.” Julie finally says, as seriously as she can, although her tone has lightness to it; she’s _sure_ Christen will not go through with it.

 

“Deal.” Christen sticks her hand out, “You can even wear mine and Morena’s matching jackets.” Christen jokes as Julie shakes her hand.

 

“Wait – that’s not actually a thing is it?” Julie asks warily, watching as Christen maintains her stoic expression,

 

“I guess you’re going to have to wait and see.” Christen answers finally releasing Julie’s hand, much to the blonde’s dismay.

 

They retake their seats two minutes into the second half; walking down the stairs to their row just in time to see Rose Lavelle lash home the second goal for LA from Tobin’s cleared corner from the left.

 

Julie throws her arms up, roaring along with the rest of the crowd and _nearly_ elbowing Christen’s phone out of her hand and six foot up in the air. “I love soccer.” The blonde muses, finally flopping down in her seat.

 

“Really? I never would have guessed.” Christen’s sarcastic reply comes across more sarcastic than she intends.

 

All Christen gets in response though is a bright smile from Julie who was probably ignoring her the entire time.

 

The game ticks towards the end of the game, the score still stands at 2-1, both teams are still pushing though but both defenses stay strong, clearing cross after cross, winning header after header. Finally, much to the relief of everybody packed into the stadium, the final whistle blows and the celebrations start.

 

LAFC _had_ to win this game.

 

LAFC _did_ win this game.

 

“Let’s – let’s go.” Christen says looking up from her phone, glancing up at Julie who is making little to no effort to move.

 

“Not so fast, don’t you have a bet to lose?” Julie asked, smirking

 

“I thought you had forgotten about that.” Christen muses, visibly annoyed, and dreading an awkward moment where Christen stumbles over her words and blushes bright red before walking away slowly and wishing the ground would swallow her whole.

 

“Go on,” Julie gives her best friend a little push as Christen slowly descends the stairs heading to the front of the stand; she stands awkwardly in the middle of five overexcited teenagers, screaming out the names of their heroes whilst waving jerseys and scarves in her face.

 

Christen is relieved when she spots a laughing Tobin and Kelley heading over towards the stand, Kelley making ridiculous and over-the-top hand gestures only making Tobin laugh harder, so Christen carefully maneuvers past the teenagers and meets Tobin’s eyes, leading the midfielder to divert Kelley’s walk towards the empty space that Christen finds herself standing in.

 

“Hi Tobin,” Christen says with a soft smile that reaches her eyes.

 

“Hey Christen,” Tobin says with a similar gentleness to her voice.

 

“Hello to you too.” Kelley mutters with an over-exaggerated eye roll.

 

“Hi Kel,” Christen reaches over and pulls Kelley into a hug, after that Kelley quickly disappears, spotting Alex a couple of sections down.

 

“I need a favor.” Christen rushes out before Tobin can say anything. “It’s weird or maybe it’s not; you see, I made a stupid bet with JJ that I would get your jersey off you in exchange for her to walk my dog for the next month, I know it’s probably weird, that I need it when you have a bunch of teenagers there who want your jersey – I mean! I want your jersey too, a lot, but I just – I – uh – this is weird, I should go.”

 

In the midst of her rambling, she doesn’t notice Tobin pulling the jersey off and holding it in her left hand, and Christen is already turning around and walking back when Tobin’s voice catches her attention.

 

“Hey Christen; take a break from dog walking duties!”

 

Christen turns at the last minute and catches the jersey that Tobin launches in her direction, she pulls the jersey close to her chest and shouts thank you in response, before she turns and hops up the stairs, meeting Julie’s stony-faced expression.

 

“Morena likes 7AM walks.” Christen says with a wink as she heads towards the concourse with Julie muttering expletives behind her.

 

                                                                                     *****

 

“Jeez Tobs. Do you own anything other than t-shirts and ripped jeans?” Kelley asks, nose deep in her friend’s closet; pulling out grey t-shirt after t-shirt and throwing them over her shoulder.

 

Tobin who is lying on her bed, looks up from her phone when a t-shirt hits her square in the face, Kelley stands up and looks at Allie who is leaning against the door frame with a bag of chips in her hand,

 

“Tobin come on, she has a point. Your wardrobe is boring.” Allie shrugs, siding with Kelley for once.

 

“It’s comfortable.” Tobin argues back, “It’s a date; I don’t have to dress up like I’m going to church.”

 

“You also can’t be dressing up like you’re going to the grocery store.” Kelley bites back, holding two pairs of jeans in her hands before throwing the black, ripped pair at Tobin, followed by a plain white t-shirt and a light wash jean jacket. “That’s cute, oh, and wear your Nikes! Not those dumbass flip-flops you always wear!” Kelley shouts over her shoulder as she and Allie leave the room.

 

Groaning, Tobin pulls herself off her bed and proceeds to get ready, she gets ready quickly and heads downstairs with her car keys and phone in her hand.

 

“Damn you look - kinda - really good.” Is the first thing Kelley says when Tobin enters the room, Alex looks up from where she’s lying in the defender’s lap and even Allie tears her eyes away from the TV.

 

“Thanks – I – uh – think.” Tobin says knitting her eyebrows. “I’ll be back later, don’t wait up.” Tobin says turning her back and laughing when she hears Kelley holler from the living room.

 

Tobin gets into her jeep and finds Christen’s address through their text thread, she drives to her apartment complex, her grip tightening on the steering wheel all the time. Tobin knew deep down she had no reason to be nervous, aside from the fact this was her first date in a few years; with Kelley’s help, Tobin had this date planned down to the very last second, it was fool proof and filled with everything Christen loved, almost as though Tobin had planned two dates into one. Still, the midfielder couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was about to go wrong. Pulling up outside the complex; Tobin shook off the negativity and exited her vehicle, she wipes her clammy hands on her jeans as she rings the buzzer for Christen’s apartment, until she panics thinking maybe she should have bought flowers –

 

Every second she waits for Christen to answer feels like a lifetime, when in reality it’s somewhere between ten and thirteen seconds, Tobin can feel herself relaxing when Christen says she will be down in a minute. Tobin pulls on her t-shirt, and fixes her jacket so it’s sitting right, she crosses her ankles and uncrosses them, she sticks her hands in her pockets before taking them out, nervously shifting her weight from foot to foot. Finally, the door opens and Christen walks out, and Tobin can feel her jaw drop at the woman stood in front of her. Tobin knows that Christen is beautiful, but she looks stunning.

 

She’s paired a navy maxi skirt with a grey crop top, revealing just a slither of skin and showing the abs that Christen tends to hide away, she’s got a leather jacket over her arm and her purse on her shoulder, but Tobin can’t tear her eyes away from her face,

 

Christen shuts the door and turns, smiling. “Hi Tobin,” she breathes out stepping closer and leaning forward to kiss the midfielder’s cheek.

 

“Hey Christen, ready to go?” Tobin asks, swinging her keys around her finger, Christen narrows her eyes.

 

“Where are we going?” She asks Tobin who is already walking back towards her car. “Wait; don’t answer that because you’re only going to say it’s a surprise.”

 

“You’re so intelligent.” Tobin says, unlocking her car and smirking over at the vet.

 

Christen gets into the car, rolling her eyes as she reaches for her seatbelt. “Trust me, it’s a curse.” She laughs.

 

The drive is, pleasant. The radio plays as background music as Tobin and Christen engage in a heated game of 20 Questions; with the questions varying from deepest sexual fantasies ( _Christen was intrigued_ ) and Tobin’s personal favorite; most embarrassing moment. Christen is in the middle of reciting why 4th of July is her favorite holiday ( _despite Tobin’s insistence that Thanksgiving and Christmas are so much better_ ) when Tobin parks her car and Christen looks out of the window, her eyebrows knitting together.

 

“Tobin,” she laughs nervously. “Didn’t this arcade close down in 1999?” Christen asks, swallowing thickly at the abandoned building in front of her. Tobin kills the engine and gets out with Christen following suit albeit reluctantly.

 

“It did.” Tobin finally says, pulling out a spare set of keys from her jacket pocket. “I have a buddy who works with this kind of stuff, he helped me plan something.”

 

“Are you sure this place is safe?” Christen asks warily, following Tobin to the door, the midfielder stops and unlocks the padlock.

 

“Perfectly safe,” Is Tobin’s response as she pushes the door open, wincing a little at the contact the door makes on her shoulder; she steps aside for Christen to enter first. When Christen doesn’t make an effort to enter the building, Tobin does it first and looks at Christen with waiting eyes, she does enter after her date and Tobin shuts the door, “I won’t padlock it if it makes you feel better.” Tobin says holding the padlock up, she just hooks it on but leaves it unlocked as she places her hand on the small of Christen’s back.

 

She leads the other woman down the hallway and into a room; switching on the light, Tobin stands back and watches as Christen’s face lights up at the scene of an untarnished, preserved arcade before her eyes.

 

“This – this is incredible.” Christen manages to make out, excitedly rushing into the room and straight over to the untouched Ms. Pac-Man game. Christen drops her jacket to an empty chair and spins around, “we need tokens though.”

 

Tobin pulls out a bag of tokens from her back pocket. Christen makes grabby hands towards the bag but Tobin pulls it out of her reach momentarily. “Tell you what, for every game you win I have to tell you an embarrassing fact about me, but if I win, you have to tell me.” Tobin suggests, wiggling her eyebrows.

 

Christen thinks for a moment, before she takes the bag. “Deal. Get ready to unleash your deepest secrets.”

 

“I said embarrassing!” Tobin protests but Christen already has the game started, and Tobin doesn’t mind playing cheerleader for a while. Christen loses two games in a row, and the annoyed expression covering her features to Tobin is so fucking cute, she can’t even handle the way Christen gets frustrated.

 

“Tell me your most embarrassing moment.” Tobin says from where she’s perched on the air hockey table.

 

“I told you that in the car,” Christen says quizzically looking over her shoulder.

 

Tobin leans forward. “Really? Your most embarrassing moment was falling over during the Nativity when you were eight?”

 

Christen blushes and turns away. “Fine; I once sent nudes intended for my girlfriend at the time to my Grandma.” Christen admits, before breaking out into a small bout of laughter. “It was absolutely mortifying; I couldn’t look her in the eye for a whole month!” Christen exclaims, her small laughter turning into a full belly laugh now.

 

Tobin is absolutely speechless from her position. “That – that’s far from what I expected.” Is what she finally says, tilting her head to the side as Christen regains her composure.

 

They’re playing air hockey when Tobin finally loses and Christen wastes no time in wanting to know her deepest, most embarrassing secret. “Spill it Heath.”

 

Tobin reaches up and scratches the back of her neck, “I was in Seattle with the national team, I was still playing in Paris at the time and I had to do a press conference for the friendly against the Netherlands and jetlag was kicking my ass and I may have – fell asleep…” she trails off,

 

Christen takes three seconds before she bursts out laughing at the confession. “Y-You seriously fell asleep in front of reporters? That’s – like – the best thing I’ve ever heard.”

 

Once they finish at the arcade, Tobin locks up and Christen is just about to thank her for an amazing time when Tobin takes her hand and leads her in the opposite direction to her car.

 

“The date isn’t over yet.” Tobin tells her, and Christen raises an eyebrow in response. “I can’t take much credit for the second half because it was kind of Allie’s idea,” Tobin shrugs but Christen doesn’t mind, she just finds herself rubbing her thumb across Tobin’s knuckles as they head towards the pier.

 

They hear the music blaring as they approach, the colors, the live music and the atmosphere from the festival are electric as the pair approach. The band currently on stage are killing it, with fifty or so fans in front of the stage screaming and yelling along to the lyrics of the song. There are magicians, puppeteers, jugglers and fire-breathers entertaining smaller crowds, the smells from the food stalls are mouth-watering and the beach is alive with the effects of the festival.

 

“This is amazing, what is this place?” Christen asks as she and Tobin arrive at the pier.

 

“Illuminations festival.” Tobin answers, “Allie found it, during the night it’s better, but it’s pretty cool during the day.” Tobin shrugs, playing it off casually; instead just finding herself watching Christen’s face light up. “Where do you want to go first?”

 

“Stage.” Christen answers, “I’m feeling in the mood to sing,” Christen walks ahead, pulling Tobin with her, “I love this band, so fucking much.” Christen grins wider than the sun at the band on stage.

 

_HAIM_

 

Tobin’s in all honesty never heard of them, but Christen seems overcome with excitement at the band on stage, a new song starts playing, the intro to the song is a bit wiry for Tobin’s liking but Christen is jamming, she’s stood in front of Tobin swaying and squealing every other second as the lyrics start playing, almost as though she’s drunk on the music. Christen screams the lyrics, before turning and wrapping her arm around Tobin’s shoulders, Tobin’s hand automatically coming up to press against the small of her back, her colder hands touching the slither of exposed midriff of Christen’s body.

 

Christen leans in close and starts whispering the lyrics against Tobin’s cheek, missing her ear by a mile.

 

“ _Don’t it feel like that night was from a dream,_

_I’ve never felt nothing like that,_

_Looking at you; looking right back,_

_You say nothing is ever as good as it seems_

_Stop running your mouth like that, ‘cause you know I’m gonna give it right back._ ”

 

Tobin’s breaths turn shaky at Christen’s breath against her cheek, the smell of her perfume is intoxicating and the dizziness she’s feeling is making her more content in the moment than she’s felt in a long time.

 

“ _You gotta give me just a little of your love, baby, and I’ll try._ ” Christen mumbles, the vibrations causing Tobin to swallow thickly,

 

Fuck,

 

Tobin knows this feeling, she knows it too fucking well and with Christen swaying, holding herself close the midfielder’s body, Tobin knows she’s in deep trouble; between the woman she’s holding and the music in the background causing her ears to ring; Tobin knows she’s heading down on this path again, but this time, she’s never felt more ready for it.

 

They stay for two more songs before their stomachs rumbling get the better of them and they walk through the food stalls; indecisive over what to buy. They eventually stop for pizza, deciding it’s for the best until the decision over toppings arrives.

 

“How can you say chicken is better than pepperoni?” Christen asks, mouth agape and in disbelief when Tobin says chicken is the better topping. “You are a despicable human being.”

 

“Pepperoni is boring.” Tobin shoots back as the pair take a seat at an empty table, their slices of pizza in front of them.

 

“How dare you?” Christen is outraged, “I can’t believe I’m dating someone with such – such – _wrong_ opinions.” She shakes her head, and from the chair opposite; Tobin is smirking.

 

“You know, you’re actually pretty adorable when you’re offended.” The midfielder says catching Christen off-guard.

 

Christen splutters, blushing a deep crimson as she struggles for a verbal response until, “Just eat your preposterous pizza.”

 

Tobin laughs heartily, feeling freer than she’s felt for a long time.

 

 

 

The sun starts to set meaning the illuminations are due to start any minute; Tobin and Christen find an empty space sitting on top of the railings on the pier, even with her leather jacket on. Christen starts to shiver with the sea air and the day beginning to descend into evening, so she shuffles closer to Tobin and leans into the older woman’s side, seeking warmth. Tobin takes the hint and wraps one arm around Christen pulling her ever-closer.

 

As the sun sets; the illuminations begin and it’s a light show that could have been plucked from the hands of Disneyworld; the magic in the lights captures everybody’s attention from the lanterns making their journeys to the stars, and the carefully planned story of birth to death with the lights bringing a tear to even the least-emotional bystanders.

 

Christen can’t help but think that this is a perfect end to a perfect date with the perfect woman.

 

Tobin drives them back to Christen’s apartment complex; both feeling higher than heaven after spending the day together. Tobin walks Christen to the door and the raven-haired woman turns, her hand still interlocked with Tobin’s.

 

“Thank you for the most amazing first date, it was better than I could have imagined.” Christen says, genuinely smiling.

 

“Have you spent a lot of time imagining it?” Tobin quips causing Christen to roll her eyes.

 

“It plagued my dreams all week,” Christen answers back cheekily and licks her lips when she notices that’s what Tobin is staring at. “Sorry,” she says backing off. “I don’t kiss on the first date.” Christen’s hand falls from Tobin’s and the midfielder immediately backs off, feeling awkward.

 

“Oh – that’s – yeah that’s cool.” Tobin stammers

 

Christen chuckles softly. “Your awkwardness is fucking adorable, come here.”

 

Christen curls her hand around Tobin’s wrist and pulls her back in, connecting their lips in a gentle kiss, Christen’s hand rests on the side of Tobin’s neck, her fingers tangling in Tobin’s hair, but Tobin’s hands stay pressed to Christen’s side, softly scratching against the exposed skin.

 

When they finally lean back, both their lips are parted and they are breathing a little heavier than before. “I want to do that again.” Christen mumbles breaking the silence.

 

“Nobody is stopping you.” Tobin shrugs,

 

A ten minute make-out session in front of Christen’s building has both women feeling on cloud nine all through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7579 words... okay, so this chapter was unusually long and I probably could have split it into two but I just got so lost in this chapter, and I hope you don't mind it being so long. 
> 
> fuck, I really love Preath.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I spend so much of my life watching cheesy rom-coms, it's bordering unhealthy...
> 
> anyway, here's chapter 6, I hope you guys like it! (also, this isn't saying Tobin is falling in love with Christen - it's just more about the concept of love itself scaring Tobin... we're not getting ahead of ourselves here)
> 
> your comments, kudos and everything are always appreciated, I love reading and responding to them :)

“It’s been seventy-two hours. Why hasn’t she told us about the date yet?” Kelley grumbles, the top of her bun visible from where she’s nestled under three different blankets.

 

Alex turns away from the TV, a piece of celery in her hand, she pauses the episode of Stranger Things.

 

“If you’re so desperate why don’t you just ask Christen?” Alex suggests, watching as the blankets fly forward and onto the floor revealing Kelley, more flushed than usual.

 

“I tried.” Kelley mumbles, “She hasn’t read my fourteen messages.”

 

“You sent her fourteen messages?” Alex quizzes, “Just chill, Tobin will tell us when she’s stopped grinning like a lovesick fool!” Alex continues to raise her voice, capturing the attention of Tobin in the kitchen, and the middle finger that the midfielder sends her in return.

 

Tobin shuffles into the living room, flopping down on the couch beside Kelley and not putting up a fight when Kelley takes the bowl of popcorn from her. The three settle in and are on the last episode of Stranger Things when the front door opens and Allie returns home from her date with Bati, she curls up on the corner of the couch Alex is on, her hands deep in her jacket pocket, not interrupting her friends as they finish the season. Alex yawns when the credits start rolling and she turns Netflix off before turning to Allie with a sleepy smile,

 

“How was your date?” She asks, rubbing her eyes.

 

“Yeah! You’re home early…” Kelley trails off,

 

“I have news.” Allie simply says with a shrug, “I have to tell you guys something, it happened at dinner, luckily I wasn’t drinking-”

 

“You’re pregnant?!” Alex and Kelley scream in unison, leaning forward.

 

Allie tilts her head to the side before she’s laughing at her friends’ aghast expressions. “Give me a little credit, we’re only halfway through the season.” She laughs even more when she catches both Alex and Kelley visibly relax. “This happened.” Allie finally pulls her hand out of her pocket.

 

They don’t need to turn the light on, Allie’s sparkling engagement ring practically lights up the whole room.

 

Kelley and Alex scream.

 

Tobin just nods towards Allie, smirking smugly but genuinely happy for her friend. After all, Tobin was the only one who knew all along.

 

Alex and Kelley wrestle each other before toppling Allie to get a good look at the ring. They ignore Allie’s groans at the weight of both of them on top of her, but she doesn’t complain when Alex yanks her arm and fawns over the dazzling engagement ring, sitting perfectly. Riley hears the commotion from the kitchen, lifting his head up, the puppy watches his owners for a minute before standing up and trotting into the living room, jumping up and nestling himself in the blankets that Tobin is still lying under. Tobin smiles and scratches behind the dog’s ears until Allie finally escapes Kelley’s grasps and drops down on Tobin’s lap.

 

“Thanks for not telling them.” Allie says with a smile, “How was your date?” She asks, and Tobin throws her head back.

 

“Your ring looks great, Bati did a good job.” Tobin tries to switch the subject back.

 

Allie though, is more determined than that, whilst she wants to scream and shout from every rooftop in Los Angeles that she’s engaged, her curiosity is getting the better of her, as usual. She twirls the engagement ring as she waits for Tobin to spill the details.

 

“He told me he asked you.” Allie herself decides to drop the date for a second. “I cried more at that than when he asked me.” Allie chuckles softly, she shuffles around until she can hug Tobin. “It meant a lot, _Harry._ ” Allie mumbles, using the age-old nickname that has worn off over the recent years.

 

Tobin smiles and hugs Allie back. “I just want my best friend to be happy, _Harry._ ” Tobin says back, sincerely although the eye roll at the nickname has Allie laughing a watery laugh.

 

“I’m your best friend!” Kelley shouts, glancing in their direction from where she’s burrowed into Alex’s side.

 

“And, the moment is ruined…” Tobin trails off. “So, I’m ready to talk about the date now.”

 

                                                                                              *****

 

**[Christen Press]**

 

_Dinner tonight? My place…_

 

Tobin has stared at the ellipsis at the end of the message for bordering on five minutes now. She is trying to decipher when Christen was nervous with asking her around to her house or whether she’s trying to suggest something; also, Tobin isn’t sure which she would prefer it to be. Her thumb hovers over the keyboard, thinking of a reply, she’s deleted the previous three she had typed out.

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_I’d love to._

 

Simple, but effective.

 

Tobin tosses her phone into her bag after that and heads into the gym for an hour. Alex scares the shit out of her, poking her in the side and causing Tobin to _nearly_ lose her grip on the bar she’s holding onto. She glares at Alex when she looks at her,

 

“Can you take Riley for a walk? I’m really busy this afternoon.” Alex asks batting her eyelashes, Tobin hesitates upon answering.

 

“Do you remember the last time I took the dog for a walk?” Tobin asks, grimacing at the memory whilst Alex just stifles her laughter.

 

Riley loves mud, he really does. Tobin doesn’t. Riley yanked the leash and Tobin let go, chasing Riley through the park; Tobin was just about to grab the leash when Riley raced through mud, curling a finger around the leash only meant one thing; Tobin lost her balance and ended up face down in the mud after an unusually rainy night.

 

“Oh come on, it was funny.” Alex shrugs, not caring how loudly she’s laughing at this point.

 

“I had mud in my ears for three days!” Tobin shoots back, pulling a disgusted face, Alex stops laughing and looks behind her where Kelley is gesturing for her to get Tobin to agree, which Tobin sees. “I’ll do it,” she sighs, hugging Alex loosely when the striker basically pounces on her with a bear hug.

 

 

Tobin holds the leash. Riley sits in front of her, wagging his tail and waiting patiently. When Tobin makes no effort to put his leash on him, Riley barks and stands up before nudging Tobin’s hand which brings her back to the room. “Let’s go, okay buddy.” Tobin puts his leash on him before grabbing her keys and letting the dog drag her out of the house.

 

They walk to the park, well, essentially Tobin is dragged to the park not even choosing to discipline Riley’s tendency to yank too hard on his leash. Tobin isn’t Riley’s owner, neither is Kelley nor Allie, but when Alex turned up eight months ago with a smaller Golden Retriever on a leash and announced she’d adopted a dog, the other three (having gotten over the initial shock) all took to Riley and fell in love with him, so much so, that the three of them now consider themselves to be quarter owners.

 

Riley stops walking and starts barking as Tobin tries to unclip his leash to let him run around the park, but Riley’s restless and manages to again escape Tobin’s hand and runs ahead.

 

“Why does this only happen to me?” Tobin mutters, looking to the clouding over skies, before jogging after the dog and finding him stopped, tail wagging and being stroked by the one person Tobin always wants to see.

 

“I was hoping it would be you.” Christen smoothly says, a beaming smile on her face as she stands up.

 

Tobin in that split second loses the ability to speak coherently to Christen Press, again.

 

Christen just shakes her head, struggling to hold back her laughter at the floundering midfielder in front of her, she steps closer, letting her hand rest against the side of Tobin’s neck, it’s the contact of Christen’s colder hand against her neck that snaps Tobin out of her self-entered trance.

 

“Hi,” the brunette breathes out.

 

“She’s back in the room!” Christen clumsily laughs, tripping slightly when her foot hits the dropped leash. “Hey, Tobin.” She smiles, calming down from her bout of laughter.

 

Tobin wants to kiss her, she really does, and she has to bite her tongue to stop herself from surging forward and feeling the softness of Christen’s lips against her chapped ones all over again.

 

“So, dinner tonight?” Christen asks, blinking quickly. “I know – I would have planned something better than dinner at my apartment but I-” Christen abruptly stops, either she loses her train of thought or decides to save what she was going to save for that evening.

 

“I can’t wait.” Tobin flashes her a toothy smile, Christen blinks back,

 

“Your teeth are so white.” Christen acknowledges,

 

“Thanks?” Tobin is unsure whether it’s a compliment or not, “You have really straight teeth…” She trails off, unknowing if she had to repay the compliment or not.

 

Christen drops her hand to Tobin’s shoulder. “You’re so cute.” She says leaning forward and kissing Tobin’s cheek. “I’ll see you tonight,”

 

She scratches Riley’s ears once more before she’s jogging past the pair.

 

“Riley, KO’s right. I have zero game.” Tobin mumbles, still shaking her head at choosing straight teeth instead of the hundreds of compliments she could have paid Christen just then. “Let’s go buddy.” Riley runs off leaving Tobin with no choice but to chase after him again.

 

Tobin gets home, Riley runs into the living room, shaking the water from the pond he jumped in all over Allie’s brand new white rug. Tobin hangs the leash on the hook before kicking her shoes off and entering the living room.

 

“Kelley, your teeth are so white.”

 

“Alex, you have really straight teeth…”

 

Followed by laughter, Tobin groans as she walks towards the kitchen. “I hate the both of you.” She deadpans only causing them to laugh harder, Tobin throws a piece of carrot at them, grumbling.

 

 

Tobin spends longer than she anticipated sitting in her Jeep outside Christen’s apartment, although she got lost on the way due to Kelley giving her a shortcut that in fact involved various traffic jams, she looks up at what she thinks is Christen’s apartment although math was never her best subject. Tobin taps against her knee; she’s overthinking the way Christen sounded nervous in the park, Tobin tries to play it off as though Christen was just having a stressful day, gosh, Tobin knows how agitated and disassociated she becomes when she’s having a stressful day. Tobin gives it another minute in the car before she’s grabbing the bottle of wine from the passenger seat and walking up to the apartment building. She finds Christen’s apartment and presses the buzzer.

 

There’s a pause before. “… _Enter at your own risk_.” Is heard,

 

Tobin laughs as she pushes open the door, god, Christen is such a (cute) idiot. Tobin walks up the stairwell and stops outside the apartment door, she lifts her hand to knock when the door swings open; Tobin doesn’t even have a second to register that it is in fact Christen, or what she’s wearing or what the inside of her apartment looks like before Christen has her hand pressed against her hip and is pulling her into a searing kiss.

 

Tobin swears she feels dizzy at the way Christen’s lips feel against her own.

 

The kiss is only short but both pull away breathlessly, just staring at each other for a brief second as Christen bites down on her lip. “Hi,” she finally says, a lazy smile on her lips.

 

“I don’t mind if that’s how you want to say hello all the time.” Tobin says to her.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Christen chuckles before shutting the door, “Make yourself at home, I have to go and check on dinner.” Christen’s lips brush Tobin’s cheek before she’s hurrying off across the apartment to the kitchen. Tobin places the bottle of wine on the counter and waits a second, watching as Christen busies herself with dinner, a set of photographs catch Tobin’s eyes and as she gets closer, they become clearer.

 

It’s Christen but younger, the Eiffel Tower is in the background of three of the photographs. Tobin remembers Christen mentioning she spent a semester of college in Paris with Kelley but she looks older in these pictures; Tobin is struggling to see them being any older than two years old.

 

“Paris, three years ago.” Christen says, walking up behind Tobin and resting her hand against the midfielder’s hipbone. “I had a bad breakup and in the midst of all the tears and self-loathing I spontaneously booked a trip to Paris.” Christen laughs thinking about it now. “I was there alone for two weeks, but I’ve never laughed, cried or gotten drunk that much in my entire life leading up to that trip.” Christen explains, a smile on her face as she remembers the trip of a lifetime.

 

Christen draws circles under Tobin’s t-shirt, her nails grazing the skin.

 

“You continue to surprise me,” Tobin marveled, spinning and coming face to face with Christen.

 

“I do?” Christen asks, perplexed by the comment. “In a good way, I hope.” She teases, pushing her hand against Tobin’s chest gently. Tobin can only nod in response, Christen hums, moving her fingers to trace along the exposed area of Tobin’s collarbone, breaking eye contact if just for a split second.

 

“I’m leaving for a conference tomorrow.” Christen says, leaning back from Tobin but not too far before Tobin still has her hands on the small of her back. “I’ll be gone for a week, it’s in New York. That’s why I wanted to have a date now because-” Christen leans closer again. “I don’t think I could handle being away from you all week, I _had_ to see you.”

 

Tobin swallows thickly, nodding, trying to fathom the right words to say as to not ruin the moment but when she catches sight of the smoke covering from the kitchen, she spins Christen around to look.

 

“Oh gosh, the chicken!” Christen shrieks before running into the kitchen, grabbing a dish towel and pulling the (very) burnt chicken from the oven. Tobin gets to the kitchen just as Christen is solemnly placing the tray on top of the stove. “Tonight is ruined.” Christen mumbles, frowning at the meal. Christen drops the towel and sits at the counter, resting her head against her hand.

 

“Tonight isn’t ruined, it’s just the chicken.” Tobin reassures her, placing a loose piece of hair behind Christen’s ear. Christen looks up, “Trust me, tonight is still good.”

 

Christen isn’t convinced until Tobin holds her finger up and runs into the living room. She messes with the sound system in the corner of the living room, trying to work it, fiddling with the dials until an all-too-familiar song begins to play. Tobin walks back into the kitchen, meeting Christen who is now standing up and taking the apron off, revealing the lacy, maroon dress she’s wearing, falling just below her thigh, complimenting the loose curls she’s put her hair in. Christen knows Tobin is staring at her, but she doesn’t care.

 

“You’re beautiful.” Tobin says as she takes her hand and leads her away from various countertops into empty space. The lyrics to _Little Of Your Love_ begins to play as Tobin pulls Christen closer to her, placing her hand against her side and taking her hand in her own.

 

Christen drops her head, struggling to withhold the smile beginning to break onto her face. Tobin isn’t the best dancer, hell, when she’s not on a soccer pitch she’s the most un-coordinated person you could ever meet, but she’s trying. She stumbles, cursing to herself before steady herself to spin Christen out and back into her arms.

 

The song finishes and Christen is wearing the biggest smile, she drops her head onto Tobin’s shoulder as a song she’s heard Kelley play numerous times starts to play.

 

“How did I get so lucky?” Christen asks, but the words are so quiet, barely audible in fact.

 

“Thank Alex; she’s the one who poisoned her dog.” Tobin says after a silence; Christen lifts her head.

 

“She deliberately poisoned him?” Christen questions as she furrows her eyebrows. “That’s – that’s – huh.” Christen can’t seem to comprehend the premise behind such a cavalier act nor find the right words to describe her feelings.

 

Tobin notices, and she does her best to quickly change the subject. “I heard pizza is romantic.” She says pulling her phone from her back pocket.

 

“Only if it’s half and half.” Christen pipes up, finally regaining the dazzling glint in her eyes.

 

“Oh yeah; the really good half and you know, yours.” Tobin smirks from where she’s moved to stand as she calls up the pizza place.

 

 

Whilst Tobin orders the pizza; Christen discards the original meal and starts cleaning up the kitchen, she’s cleaning the counter. Tobin just absentmindedly stares in Christen’s general direction; she has her bottom lip tugged between her teeth as she scrubs the counter, the sleeves of her dress rolled up to her elbows, her hair is falling over her eyes, effortlessly and beautifully. Tobin knows it’s too quick to be falling this hard for somebody she only met a month ago but Tobin doesn’t want to stop falling, she knows that falling hard could be the biggest mistake she makes but it could be the best thing to have ever happened to her.

 

Love,

 

It should be a word that scares the living hell out of Tobin Heath; after all, nobody could blame her. Tobin has run away from love at most opportunities, never sticking around to see how good her feelings for somebody could become. Paris was the biggest and most prominent example of this; the minute things complicated, Tobin jumped at the chance to return to the States, leaving the memories, her teammates and _her_ behind.

 

Christen brings out a side to Tobin that she forgot existed for a while. The freeness that she feels whenever she’s with Christen has Tobin feeling the type of adrenaline pumping through her veins as scoring a winning goal.

 

“You know this is my favorite wine. Did you know or was it just a lucky guess?” Christen asks, approaching her with two glasses of Merlot in her hands.

 

“Lucky guess.” Tobin laughs, taking the glass. “It’s my sister’s favorite and the one my family mainly drinks at Christmas.”

 

Christen nods, taking a sip.

 

In the time spent waiting for the pizza to arrive. Tobin suggests a game of 20 Questions, much to Christen’s excitement.

 

They learn everything about each other from; favorite animals, dream vacation destinations, future children, weirdest dreams to the story of each other’s first kiss. At the retelling of Christen’s first kiss with her next door neighbor aged thirteen; Tobin is crying from laughing way too hard.

 

“It wasn’t funny; there was a string of saliva between us!” Christen shakes her head, trying to erase the memory once and for all. When Tobin doesn’t stop laughing, Christen reaches out and swats at her shoulder. “After that, you owe me the story of your first kiss and I hope it was as bad as mine.”

 

“Worse, definitely worse.” Tobin states, the laughter fading although her eyebrows rise in a challenge, whilst Christen just shuffles and sits comfortably.

 

“Tell me more,” she says, swirling the remaining drop of wine around her glass.

 

“I had my first kiss in the tree in my backyard when I was twelve, and I fell out of the tree immediately after, I broke my arm in three places.” Tobin admits, the heat rising from her neck to her cheeks at an alarming rate. “My first kiss didn’t even sign my cast!” Tobin also adds.

 

Christen maintains her straight face for all of three seconds before she can’t hold back her laughter, although her eyebrows are knitted together. “You poor baby,” she giggles leaning forward and pressing her hand into the side of Tobin’s cheek. “I would have signed your cast.” Christen adds, breathing out, her lips inches away from Tobin’s.

 

The sound of the doorbell interrupts them. Christen stands up to go and get the pizza, rooting for her purse when Tobin instead offers to pay.

 

“You paid for the last two…” Christen trails off, frowning slightly and feeling bad.

 

“It was my idea, don’t pout.” Tobin tells her, tracing Christen’s jaw line with her thumb.

 

“Next time.” Christen says, determinedly.

 

Tobin hums in agreement before leaving the apartment to go and retrieve the pizza. Christen only has time to refill the wine glasses before Tobin is back, spinning the pizza box in her left hand.

 

“Did someone order Prince Charming and the best pizza in LA?” Tobin cheekily winks, closing the door with her heel.

 

“You’re so full of it.” Christen playfully rolls her eyes, “Also, my favorite Disney princess is Tiana so that would make you Naveen.”

 

“ _Oh,_ I’m so sorry, Princess Tiana.” Tobin says with an overdramatic eye roll as she places the box of pizza in the middle of the coffee table and retakes her seat beside Christen on the couch.

 

“Can we watch _The Princess and the Frog_?” Christen asks, rather excitedly.

 

Tobin says she hasn’t seen it which only excites Christen more as she searches for it, talking excitedly about why it’s her favorite movie and Tobin can only watch, unable to stop smiling at Christen speaking a mile a minute over something as small as a movie, it’s endearing.

 

 

They eat the pizza, returning to the argument over which pizza topping was better, they finish the bottle of wine and within thirty minutes the movie is all but forgotten about. Ten minutes later and Christen is all but asleep, falling onto Tobin’s lap and mumbling something about packing her toothbrush. Tobin doesn’t know what to do,

 

_Should she leave?_

 

_Should she wake Christen up?_

 

_Should she clean up?_

 

_Does she even know how to use a dishwasher?_

 

Tobin waits a few minutes, watching Christen try to fight sleep but also having the music playing from the movie lulling her back into sleep. Tobin’s fingers are tapping against Christen’s arm as she tries to decide what to do. Finally she decides it would be best to leave, so she carefully stands up and moves a cushion for Christen’s head to rest on. Tobin also figures it would be polite to at least throw the empty box and bottle in the trash and rinse the glasses out – so that’s what she does. She walks back to grab her jacket, which she does, making sure she has her phone and keys when Christen’s hand curling around her waist stops her in her tracks.

 

“Stay.” She mumbles out tiredly, cracking one eye open to look at the tanned woman.

 

Tobin gulps as Christen waits patiently for an answer which she gets in the form of a nod. Christen sits up and grabs the remote to turn the TV off. “Let’s go,” she says standing up and lacing her fingers through Tobin’s, leading her through the apartment.

 

“Your bedroom?” Tobin asks, stopping when Christen opens the door.

 

“Yes, my bedroom. Where there is a really comfortable bed, that I can sleep in, beside you.” Christen yawns entering the room and switching the light on.

 

Tobin doesn’t even look around her bedroom, the first thing she notices is an LAFC jersey hanging in front of Christen’s closet, and she feels a smirk threatening to form as Christen rifles through her drawers, her back turned and her attention not on Tobin. Tobin walks past Christen and looks at the back of the jersey, chuckling softly when she finds out it’s her that’s hung up.

 

“Christen Press, my number one fan.” Tobin remarked, causing Christen to spin and blush madly when she catches sight of the jersey.

 

“Obviously, who wouldn’t be your biggest fan?” She challenges, holding her pajamas in one hand. “I mean, you’re such a good soccer player, World Cup champion, and yeah, you’re hot.”

 

It was Tobin’s turn to blush until she looked down at her jeans and remembered. “Uh – can I borrow something to wear?”

 

They sort everything out; Tobin borrowing a pair of sweatpants which she pairs with the sports bra she was wearing anyway; Christen finds a brand new, still packaged toothbrush in her bathroom cabinet for Tobin to use and the pair laugh when they look in the mirror at themselves brushing their teeth beside each other, calling themselves ‘ _so unbelievably domestic._ ’

 

Christen gets into bed first, using the hair tie on her wrist to pull her now-wavy hair up into a quick bun, she glances up at Tobin. “You can get into the bed; I won’t bite – unless that’s your thing.” Christen wiggles her eyebrow suggestively and simultaneously ending any budding awkwardness and nervousness that Tobin was beginning to feel. Tobin rounds the bed and climbs into the other side, settling herself down and turning to look at Christen who was still sitting up, staring in Tobin’s general direction.

 

“You’re the first person I’ve shared a bed with in over a year.” She admits,

 

“I feel honored.” Tobin muses,

 

“Goodnight, Tobin.” Christen bids, shuffling down so that she’s lying in bed, pulling the covers up.

 

“Goodnight, Christen.” Tobin replies, burrowing her face into the pillow, Christen reaches around and dims the lights as the pair fall into a sleep.

 

                                                                                      *****

 

Tobin stirs in the morning, rolling over and slowly starting to flutter open her eyes only to be met with her hand pressed into something and hair covering most of her face. Getting her bearings, she blinks and realizes that it’s Christen’s hair in her face and during the night they had shuffled around so that Tobin was now the big spoon. Tobin waits a second, enjoying the feeling of holding Christen as the younger woman softly whistled in her sleep, her lips parted and the arm that wasn’t covering Tobin’s was underneath her pillow.

 

Tobin thinks she could get used to this feeling.

 

She falls back asleep for a while, feeling like five minutes when she feels Christen shaking her awake, the woman repeating her name three times. Tobin stirs and tries to roll over, mumbling something about five more minutes.

 

Christen, half dressed and agitated, tries once more, she kneels on the bed and leans over Tobin, kissing the corner of her mouth and watching as Tobin’s lips curl upwards into a smile. “Tobin, wake up, please, my flight leaves in two hours.”

 

That works.

 

Tobin turns around, waking up. “Let’s go,” she says, climbing out of bed; she doesn’t even get dressed, she just pulls her t-shirt back over her head, brushes her teeth and goes in search of her shoes from last night which she finds at the door, she’s pulling them on when Christen rushes out her bedroom, pulling her suitcase behind her and going in search of something, mumbling, and scratching the side of her head.

 

“I’m blaming you,” she points out, “if you were not so comfortable and warm, I would have woken up early.” Christen says with a teasing twinge, grabbing her phone from the kitchen counter.

 

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Tobin winks, standing up and searching her jacket pocket for her phone and keys. “We’ll take my car,” Tobin yawns, rubbing her eyes.

 

“Are you sure you’re awake enough to drive?” Christen asks skeptically, watching as Tobin yawns again as she waits for Christen to make sure she has everything.

 

“I’m awake.” Tobin confirms.

 

Christen doesn’t argue and instead just grabs her purse and her suitcase, they head downstairs to Tobin’s jeep. On the drive to LAX they get stuck in traffic, only making Christen more nervous, she’s nervous enough about actually flying, she hates it, but she hates being late more than that, so she bounces her knee and bites down on her nail. Tobin notices the habits out of the corner of her eye and takes one hand off the steering wheel to take hold of Christen’s hand, intertwining their fingers. Tobin knows she doesn’t need to say anything but just reminding Christen she’s there seems to be enough, her leg stops bouncing and the traffic starts to ease.

 

“I wasn’t even supposed to be going to this conference; Julie was.” Christen breaks the silence. “She was going to go and see some friends who live up there but at the last minute, Zach got sick, and she’s stuck babysitting whilst her sister and husband go on vacation.”

 

Tobin didn’t really understand where Christen seemed to be going with this, but she was sure there was a point.

 

“I’m just going to miss you, is all.” She finally admits. “I don’t expect you to miss me – wait – that sounded bad, I just meant. I know you’re busy with soccer-”

 

Tobin cuts Christen’s rambling off by kissing her hand. “I’ll miss you too.”

 

 

They arrive at LAX with time to spare much to Christen’s relief. They sit in the car for a minute, and despite Christen’s insistence that Tobin didn’t have to stay; Tobin says she wants to, causing Christen to blush. Tobin reaches behind her and grabs her hoodie and snapback; she puts both on and pulls a pose in front of Christen.

 

“How do I look?” She asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

 

“Dumb.” Christen immediately responds.

 

Tobin reaches up and grabs her sunglasses, placing them on. “How about now?”

 

“Still dumb.” Christen teases.

 

Tobin stays with Christen until the last possible minute; they talk about various things to pass the time. Their hands are loosely intertwined between them as Christen talks about her plans for whilst she’s in New York and Tobin tells her some of her favorite places in the city, Christen making a note to check them out after Tobin’s raving reviews of them. Tobin feels her heart pulling at the thought of not seeing Christen until Friday night, but she promises to be the one to pick her up from the airport.

 

“My hero,” Christen swoons, nudging Tobin’s shoulder with her own. “I really need to go, I’ll call you when I land, okay?”

 

“I’ll be waiting,” Tobin replies, giving her a small smile.

 

Christen stands up and grabs her purse, unzipping it and checking to see she has the necessities in there when Tobin takes herself by surprise and stands up, stepping closer to Christen and lifting her head before leaning forward, connecting their lips in a soft kiss.

 

Tobin doesn’t care if she’s in public.

 

Christen just doesn’t care at all.

 

“I’ll see you on Friday.” Tobin says after she pulls away. “Have fun, love.”

 

“I’ll see you on Friday.” Christen repeats, affirming it. “Don’t miss me too much.” She quips.

 

“I miss you now.” Tobin mumbles half-heartedly, waiting until Christen is out of sight before she leaves the airport and heads back to her car.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a month and two weeks later and your girl is back! okay so i know it's been a really long time since i updated and you can thank the fact that college was kicking my ass, my mental health was through the roof and i was in Germany for a week... but Christmas is the time for presents so i present you chapter 7 and i hope y'all enjoy it and i'm so so sorry for the long wait,

 Tobin hates Kelley.

 

Tobin _really fucking_ hates Kelley.

 

The night had started off in typical O’Hara-Heath fashion; after Tobin had hauled the blankets from upstairs to the couch and Kelley had burnt not one but two bags of popcorn before finally successfully microwaving the third, the pair settled down for a night in watching Star Wars whilst Allie and Alex were out at some overpriced cocktail bar. Tobin had been looking forward to a night in relaxing ever since Christen left and honestly, she should have seen Kelley’s U-turn coming.

 

Which is how Tobin finds herself in the stuffiest bar downtown LA has to offer, a lukewarm bottle of beer in her hand as she frantically searches the floor for Kelley,

 

“ _I’ll be five minutes Tobs; I need to find that hot girl.”_

 

Tobin believed her, but now it was bordering on nearly twenty-five minutes, Kelley hadn’t returned and she wasn’t answering her phone. Scratching at the label on the indistinguishable bottle of beer, Tobin tugged her bottom lip between her teeth as she kept staring at the door she was sure Kelley had bolted towards when she caught a glimpse of the drunk blonde that had Kelley infatuated. Tobin just rolled her eyes, fully giving up this time and throwing her head back against the booth, her hands were sweaty and sticking from the remaining residue on the table, she was exhausted and _honestly,_ she was over this entire night.

 

Throwing back one last mouthful of the distasteful beer, Tobin was up and ready to leave when she felt a hand curl around her waist and spin her around, and Tobin abruptly halts, having fully expected to turn around and see Kelley with raised eyebrows asking her where does she think she’s going, she doesn’t expect to see a pair of bright blue eyes staring at her, an all-too-familiar pair that she hasn’t seen since her senior year of college, and when Tobin begins to waver because _she’s such a lightweight._ The hand on her wrist tightens and steadies the midfielder,

 

“Tobin Heath.” The voice is all too smooth and silky and just how Tobin remembers it.

 

“Olivia.” Tobin coughs, glancing down and finding sudden interest in the pair of Nike shoes she’s wearing instead.

 

“You can look at me; I won’t bite your head off this time.” The brunette chuckles, slipping her hand down until she can take hold of Tobin’s hand and squeeze it reassuringly.

 

“It’s good to see you.” Tobin says, she knows its forced but Tobin’s need to be polite even in the most awkward of situations wins the inner battle Tobin knows she’s seconds away from facing.

 

“You always were a terrible liar,” Olivia quips finally letting go of Tobin’s hand. “I see Kelley ditched you, so, want to talk?” She offers, a small but sweet smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

 

Tobin doesn’t know why she says yes, but she does and she’s following Olivia through the bar until they reach the corner booth far away from the chatter and blaring music. Olivia slips into the booth first, settling under the lightning and Tobin finally gets a better look at her. Tobin focuses in the fact she’s barely changed since college; her hair is longer, straighter and her face is still rounded giving her a undoubted youthful look. Tobin doesn’t know how she’s supposed to feel as she sits down, her heart is beating a little faster than it usually would and she feels drawn to keep her eyes on Olivia despite how much she knows she should be making sure Kelley hasn’t been arrested instead but when Olivia reaches out and places her hand on top of Tobin’s; everything the midfielder knew just floats away, as does the atmosphere around them.

 

“First of all; I should apologize…” Olivia trails off, pressing her lips into a thin line. “I was a junior and we weren’t – we – weren’t anything special.”

 

“You were special Olivia.” Tobin reassures her.

 

Olivia nods gratefully at the comment. “Thank you. Tobin. I just wanted you to know that you never had to feel like you were in a competition, and I know I made you feel like that and that didn’t give me an excuse to blow up on you like that, I think Anson wanted to kill me for breaking up your training for it…” She trails off again before breaking into a short bout of laughter that Tobin wastes no time joining in with. “You were special, you _are_ special.” She says, choosing not to elaborate on the matter but Tobin wishes she would.

 

Instead. Tobin uses her talent of deflection when she notices the ring on Olivia’s finger, “So, who’s the lucky girl?” Tobin asks, nudging the ring with her pinky finger.

 

“Lauren, she’s a high school teacher. We’re coming up to five years together now.” Olivia sighs, and if Tobin wasn’t happy for her then she would have immediately called out the other woman for the obvious heart-eyes she was giving. “She’s the one, definitely.” Olivia shrugs.

 

Tobin swallows down the scoff rising in her throat. _The one._ Tobin thinks the entire soulmate thing is bullshit, there is not just one person for everybody, and it’s ridiculous that so many people think so.

 

“I can see the cranks in your brain going into overdrive; I’m guessing you still think soulmates are complete idiocy?” Olivia quizzes, raising a perfectly filled-in eyebrow.

 

“There isn’t just one person for everybody; not everybody is going to fall in love once and only once; what about everybody who finds love after death?” Tobin asks the question before she can stop. “It’s stupid, there isn’t one person on this planet who is so perfectly matched for somebody else, relationships and love are about disagreements, compromising, if you’re too alike then – then it’s weird!” Tobin exclaims, throwing her hands up, much to Olivia’s amusement.

 

“Who’s the girl?” She asks Tobin.

 

“What?” Tobin shoots back, eyes growing wide at how transparent she was apparently being.

 

“Who. Is. The. Girl. Tobin?” Olivia repeats whilst punctuating every word much to Tobin’s annoyance.

 

“… Christen, her name is Christen.” Tobin mumbles out feebly, dropping her gaze from a triumphant Olivia who resists the urge to grab at the midfielder and scream out how happy she is. “She’s just, she’s really… great.” Tobin utters.

 

“You’re really selling this relationship, Tobin.” Olivia states with an eye roll.

 

Tobin falls quiet, swallowing back the laugh stuck in her throat. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

 

“Do not tell me you’re pining over another hopeless fantasy.” Olivia huffed,

 

“I’m not.” Tobin mutters, “We’re dating, it’s just not official.” Tobin shrugs, flicking the empty glass on the table in front of her.

 

Olivia falls quiet this time, eyebrows creased as she thinks. Tobin waits patiently, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth as she quickly scans the room again to see if she can catch sight of Kelley again but she comes up short and when she turns to Olivia, the darker brunette is giving her a sympathetic if not slightly patronizing look.

 

“Have you asked yourself why it’s not official yet?” Olivia asks slowly; cautiously and Tobin knows exactly where she is heading with this.

 

“It’s not official because I haven’t made it official.” Tobin replies coolly, avoiding Olivia’s eyes. “That’s it.”

 

“That’s not it.” Olivia argues. “What’s the real reason you’re so reluctant to make it work, because you can’t tell me you don’t like her; I can see it in your eyes.” Olivia reaches out for Tobin’s hand. “Who hurt you?” She asks quieter this time, but Tobin catches the question.

 

“Nobody hurt me, Liv.” Tobin admits, “I left before I could get hurt.”

 

Tobin had little to no idea just why she was confiding in somebody she hadn’t spoken to for nearly six years but maybe that’s exactly why. Tobin loves her friends, _adores_ them almost but they seriously lack boundaries and are constantly prodding Tobin and hurrying decisions she isn’t ready to make; maybe she needs someone like Olivia who doesn’t know every single little detail about her pathetic love life to be the one to calmly and correctly advise her. Olivia waits, watching Tobin as she pieces together her words in a coherent fashion.

 

“I’m no good at relationships.” Is what Tobin finally settles on saying. “It’s like disaster-central, dating is the closest thing I can get to being in a relationship.”

 

“When was the last time you were in a legitimate, long-term relationship?” Olivia asks, rubbing her thumb across Tobin’s knuckles.

 

Tobin has to think, seriously hard about that question. It feels like a lifetime ago since she willingly shared her life with somebody else, and she almost bursts out laughing when she realizes that in all pathetic sadness, her last long-term relationship was.

 

“Six years ago.” She chokes out. “Six fucking years.” Tobin mutters.

 

“Damn, you’re really out of practice.” Olivia laughs lightening the mood if even by a little bit. Tobin cracks a smile. “Tobin, you really do seem to like her, and if it’s scaring you; it’s good.” Olivia finishes, her phone lighting up at her words. “That’s Lauren, I should go, take my number and _call me_ if you feel like backing out again.” Olivia grins at her before leaning across and leaving a small kiss on Tobin’s cheek.

 

Tobin just sighs, rubbing her hands over her face before she slides out of the booth, the card with Olivia’s number shoved into her jeans pocket and a more-than-her-usual-amount-of-drunk Kelley comes stumbling towards her, screeching Tobin’s name before falling against the midfielder’s chest, Tobin quickly readjusting her position to wrap her arms around Kelley’s back before the defender hits the floor.

 

“How?” Is all Tobin asks as she leads Kelley through the bar and out the door, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief at the colder night air hitting her face.

 

Kelley just gurgles in response, too drunk to even form a coherent response, her grip on the back of Tobin’s jacket just tightens as Tobin leads her to her car, carefully leaning Kelley against the side and making sure she won’t topple over completely whilst she fishes in her own pocket for her car keys.

 

“Tobin do you think dogs know their dogs?” Kelley asks, giggling before hiccupping. “What if Riley thinks he’s really a shark-” and Kelley cuts herself off by making an inhuman shark/growling noise that has her struggling for breath through the loud laughter that follows.

 

“Save that conversation for Friday with Ash, okay?” Tobin asks carefully tugging Kelley to her and manhandling her best friend into the passenger seat, slapping Kelley’s protesting hand away as she tries to pull the seatbelt.

 

If it hasn’t been mentioned before, Tobin really _fucking_ hates Kelley.

 

Kelley continues to ask ridiculous questions on the drive home, from _do you think baby oil is made from actual baby?_ To _what do butterflies feel in their stomach when they’re in love, is it humans?_ By the time Tobin turns down their street and pulls up outside their house, she wants to smack her head so hard against the steering wheel she knocks herself out, drunken Kelley is so annoying. Tobin kills the engine and gets out of the car at the same moment a taxi pulls up and Allie climbs out of the vehicle, dragging a more than tipsy Alex with her, apologizing profusely to the driver as Alex clambers all over the blonde, giggling incessantly about something only the brunette understood. Allie turns and spots Tobin trying to haul Kelley’s ass out of the car and struggling because Kelley is now in what can only be described as an over-hysterical state of emotions, either that or she’s just acting like a petulant toddler who can’t get her own way. Allie wants to help but she’s too busy from holding Alex up that she can only watch in sympathy as Tobin finally manages to pull Kelley out, clearly un-amused by the ordeal but Kelley still latches onto Tobin as the midfielder locks her car and drags her across to meet Allie who is halfway to the front door at this point.

 

“Good night?” Allie asks, wiggling her eyebrows as she glances over her shoulder to Tobin.

 

“Magical.” Tobin mutters practically shoving Kelley through the open door.

 

Tobin shuts the door and is in the process of shrugging her jacket off when she hears Kelley scream Alex’s name before a thump against the hardwood floor of the living room is heard, and walking in; Tobin can only stop and roll her eyes when she finds the two women with their arms wrapped around each other and lying on the floor unable to control their laughter. Allie is sitting on the couch, her knees pulled to her chest as she scrolls through her phone,

 

“They make me feel so old.” Allie comments, snapping a picture of their drunken antics to use as blackmail on a later date. “What’s with the face?” She asks, kicking out and catching the back of Tobin’s knee.

 

“I saw Olivia tonight.” Tobin says, creasing her eyebrows before she turns to Allie to find the blonde staring at her with raised eyebrows and a bewildered expression.

 

“And..?” Allie trails off, waiting for any sort of elaboration.

 

“She’s engaged.” Tobin chuckles, throwing herself down on the couch beside her friend. “To a high school teacher, five years nearly."

 

“I – fuck – you must be a dating disaster if she can hold down a relationship.” Allie laughs if not slightly bitterly at the news.

 

“That doesn’t help, Al.” Tobin mumbles, turning as Riley bounds into the living room from upstairs (presumably Alex’s bed) and jumps up, nestling himself in-between Allie with his head on Tobin’s lap. “She said something about me being scared being a good thing.”

 

“You’re scared?” Allie asks, giving Tobin her full attention now, phone away and twisting her body to face the brunette. “Of Christen?” She pushes, causing Tobin to nod.

 

“Not her, but whatever this is – between us.” Tobin gestures. “I like her, Allie.” Tobin admits (although the weight on her shoulders isn’t automatically lifted with the confession).

 

“That’s not a bad thing.” Allie smiles softly, reaching over Riley’s head where Tobin’s hand is tangled in his fur to rest atop of Tobin’s hand. “Being scared means you care.”

 

“What if I care too much?” Tobin asks, her voice unusually small for once, she glances to her right at Kelley and Alex passed out on the rug, Alex tucked underneath Kelley’s chin.

 

“That’s absurd. Nobody can care too much about someone.” Allie dismisses. “Have you talked to her? Since she’s been in New York?” Allie shifts her position again.

 

“A little bit, she’s busy though and I’m busy.” There is a flash of something in Tobin’s eyes that catches Allie’s attention more than the answer.

 

“You’re avoiding her!” The blonde exclaims a little too loudly causing Tobin to smack her shoulder to shush her. “You’re scared and using the ‘I’m busy’ excuse whilst you try to figure out your shit.” Allie says smugly, feeling pretty proud of herself for figuring it out after five or six cocktails.

 

“I’m not avoiding her…” Tobin weakly protests but she’s lost, Allie knows the truth and there is absolutely no point in denying that.

 

Allie yawns and begins to untangle herself from where Riley has settled on top of her. “Listen, I get that you think space is the best thing for you whilst you figure everything out but you can’t avoid her, maybe figuring things out together will be what’s best.” With that, Allie stands up and kisses the top of Tobin’s head. “Think about it.” Are her parting words as she heads out of the room and to the stairs.

 

Tobin stays put for a while. Riley using his best efforts to distract Tobin from her thoughts by continuously nudging her hand for her to stroke him. Tobin sighs, closing her eyes and focusing in the two sets of advice she was given tonight, _being scared is a good thing_ and _figuring things out with Christen instead of without her will make things easier._ Tobin didn’t know if either women were right, there have been three instances when she’s felt this scared; the first was in the first few seconds after she crashed her car into the captain of the football team in her senior year of high school, the second time was when she broke her arm in four places two days before a major soccer tournament when she was eight and the third was Paris – three instances, three times that nothing good came from being scared. Tobin looks down at Riley who is whining softly as he nuzzles his face further into Tobin’s shirt.

 

“What do you think I should do, buddy?” Tobin asks, scratching behind the dog’s ears.

 

As she’s debating whether she should just go to bed or at least grab a blanket and throw it over Kelley and Alex, she feels a vibration in her back pocket. Wiggling, Tobin reaches for her phone and pulls it out before she looks at the message on the screen, and in a sense of perfect timing, Tobin can’t fight the smile (albeit sad) playing on her lips.

 

**[Christen Press]**

 

_Two more days. I can’t wait to see you, I miss you so much._

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_Not as much as I miss you…_

 

Tobin breaks her own rule that night by letting Riley sleep at the foot of her bed; much to the dog’s pleasure.

 

                                                                                                                   ****

 

“You two look like shit.” Tobin comments, smirking when she enters the kitchen the next morning.

 

Kelley and Alex are sitting hunched over at the dining table, both wearing oversized sweatshirts, having not cleaned off their smudged makeup or made an effort to brush their hair but both are simultaneous in flipping off the midfielder much to Tobin’s loud and obnoxious laughter that she definitely put on to increase their pounding headaches.

 

“Did you even get that hot girl’s number last night?” Tobin asks, grabbing the box of cereal from the top shelf as well as a bowl.

 

“What hot girl?” Alex asks, straightening up a little bit, eyebrows furrowed as she stares at Kelley.

 

“Some blonde from the bar.” Kelley waves away Alex’s question, “And no, I got shot down.” Kelley admits shrugging before silently returning to her cup of coffee and toast, ending the conversation abruptly much to Tobin and Alex’s surprise.

 

Tobin is just about to open her mouth and make a joke about Kelley losing her touch when a shrill shriek is heard from upstairs before bounding on the stairs follows and an enraged Allie Long enters the living room holding a pair of curlers that have quite frankly seen better days.

 

“ALEX MORGAN I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!” Allie screams, storming into the kitchen. “What did you do to them?!”

 

Allie throws the curlers onto the table, the plug landing in Alex’s glass of orange juice much to the forward’s displeasure as she pulls the extension out of her drink and drops it on the table.

 

“I did nothing, if you can’t look after your stuff that’s your problem.” Alex shrugs, too hungover to even admit that she might have broken the curlers when using them last night, even if she can’t remember how.

 

“You were the last one to use them, oh my, why today? I am going out in an hour.” Allie huffs, continuously tapping her foot.

 

“You have friends other than us?” Tobin asks appearing at Allie’s side wearing an over-exaggerated hurt expression. “I am shocked.”

 

“Hilarious.” Allie mutters, “I have a shoot today and I wanted to curl my hair but _Miss-its-not-my-fault-you-can’t-look-after-your-stuff_  has broken them.” Allie points at Alex who isn’t remotely interested in arguing her case anymore.

 

“They were like twenty bucks anyway.” Kelley pipes up, arguing Alex’s case in typical Kelley fashion.

 

“Try a hundred and forty bucks.” Allie corrects as Kelley furrows her eyebrows.

 

The defender starts to laugh, “Damn, unlucky.” She comments.

 

Allie groans before storming out of the kitchen muttering something about how she’s going to put an entire shaker of salt in Alex’s coffee for the next month as she runs back up the stairs.

 

                                                                                                              **** 

 

When Friday arrives; Tobin is brimming with excitement, bouncing around the house and training and unable to keep the smile off her face as she chooses to remind her friends for the hundredth time that Christen’s flight from New York gets in a little after 9:30PM and that she can’t wait to see her again.

 

“Whipped.” Kelley coughs earning a slap to the thigh from Alex who shushes her, clearly too interested in Stranger Things to care for Kelley’s teasing.

 

Tobin is typing away on her laptop when she stops to sneeze, before sneezing again, and again, and for another three times. She turns around to catch the box of tissues that Kelley throws in her general direction.

 

“Getting sick?” Alex asks, reaching for the remote to pause the show.

 

“It’s probably just allergies.” Tobin replies coolly, swallowing down a little harder than usual, the beginnings of feeling her throat become scratchy is her second clue as is the headache that is starting. “On second thoughts…” She trails off, pushing her laptop away from her.

 

Tobin stands up and walks into the kitchen, opening the cupboard before complaining to Alex for the hundredth time that the kitchen is no place to keep medicine and that it should be in the bathroom before she reaches for some Advil and searches the cupboard for some cough medicine left over from the last time her and Kelley caught a cold from the midnight premiere of The Force Awakens. Tobin manages to find the bottle and she pulls it to the edge of the shelf, but before she can wrap her hand around it, it slips and falls and hits her square on the forehead knocking her (slightly dazed) self off balance and sending her barreling backwards into the kitchen counter.

 

“Dude! Are you okay?” Kelley asks, hopping up and sliding into the kitchen before extending her hand to Tobin to help her up.

 

“I’m fine.” Tobin replies, shaking it off before passing the bottle to Kelley to open. “I think I just need a nap before I go to the airport.” Tobin reckoned before taking the bottle back and grabbing a spoon to pour herself a mouthful of medicine. She winces at the taste before pushing the bottle away, mumbling about how disgusting something that is supposed to make you better can be.

 

“The grosser it is the better it is for you.” Kelley sings, reiterating what her mom told her when she was sick as kid.

 

“Bullshit.” Tobin mutters turning and filling a glass with water to take the Advil. She swallows them before finishing the water and trudging back through the living room, and out to the stairs before taking her time going up them and into her room where she face plants her pillow, letting her eyes flutter shut.

 

It takes Kelley and Alex calling Tobin’s phone and yelling in her face for nearly a minute to bring her out of her deep slumber, and when she wakes; Kelley takes great amusement in the drool down her chin, the bleary look in her eyes and the fact she looks as shit as Kelley did when hungover the other day.

 

“Good evening Sleeping Ugly.” She greets with a smirk.

 

Alex on the other hand takes the motherly role and takes pity on Tobin being sick, kicking a still teasing Kelley out of the room before pressing the back of her hand, she smiles sadly before handing Tobin a cold bottle of water.

 

“Are you sure you want to go? Christen will understand that you’re sick…” Alex trails off watching Tobin as she takes a sip of water.

 

“I want to.” Tobin says determinedly (if not a little gruffly).

 

Alex doesn’t argue and just leaves the room instead. Tobin walks to the bathroom and takes pity on herself when she sees her reflection; she splashes some water in her face and drags a brush through her hair before deciding between putting it up in a ponytail or just throwing a snapback on to hide the fact it’s a mess. She chooses the hat. She makes her way wearily around her room, pulling the snapback on before grabbing her Nikes and slipping them on; she grabs her phone and car keys before pulling a sweatshirt that was hanging on the back of her door and throwing it on as she descends the stairs just as Allie returns home, limping.

 

“Still hurts?” Tobin asks as she closes the door.

 

Allie hums in agreement. “Yeah, hurts like a bitch.” She says with a distinct eye roll.

 

The pair walk into the living room and Allie collapses back on the couch, lifting her left leg to keep her ankle elevated.

 

“If you’re going to have welcome home sex with Christen to-” Allie starts but Tobin’s sneezing cuts her off. “I take it back.” She says, causing Kelley to erupt in a fit of laughter that can only be blamed on her damn O’Hara genes.

 

“I don’t know if I’ll be home tonight, so later guys.” Tobin grins, throwing a wave over her shoulder as Alex and Allie holler whilst Kelley wolf whistles causing Tobin to chuckle as she leaves the house and heads over to her car.

 

It’s only when she’s alone and heading to the airport does the reality start to sink in. The last five days there had only been minimal contact between Christen and Tobin and it’s mostly Tobin’s fault for avoiding talking to Christen as she’s finally accepted that she likes her, that she _really likes_ her and the whole subject in itself is something that Tobin promised herself she would never get into, she couldn’t but here she was, willingly wanting to spend every waking minute with Christen and not knowing how to stop her feelings from taking over the logical side of her brain that tells her she’s going to find a way to screw things up. Allie and Olivia’s words still ring in her ears, but she can’t shake that things are changing fast, and she can’t decide for certain whether she wants everything to slow down or carry on at the speed she’s going; the only thing that Tobin is certain of is that Christen’s smile makes her feel pathetically fuzzy inside.

 

Five days, five days with not a lot of contact has her feeling nervous when she enters the airport and heads to arrivals; will things have changed between them? It seems absurd really, but before Christen left for the conference they were talking every day, the longest time between talking to each other were either a training session for Tobin or a maximum of two appointments for Christen so two messages between them a day seems like a lifetime. Tobin shakes herself out of her head as she glances to the board, it was only a few minutes and she starts to tap her foot, shoving her hands into her jeans pockets as she glances to the floor. She doesn’t know how she’s going to greet Christen; does she kiss her? Hug her? Say hey, or say _I’ve missed you_.

 

It seems ridiculous really.

 

“Where is my banner and welcome home cake?” An all-too-familiar voice brings Tobin out of her thoughts and when she lifts her head.

 

Christen is stood in front of her, her bags beside her whilst she’s smiling at Tobin, her eyes crinkled at the corners. Tobin just reaches forward pulling Christen to her, balling the back of Christen’s jacket up in her fist as she burrows her face into her neck, breathing her in and causing Christen to laugh as she hugs Tobin back.

 

“I missed you, so fucking much.” Tobin breathes out, refusing to let go of Christen for another minute.

 

Every little reservation Tobin had on the way to the airport, every single doubt seeping into her head had seemingly evaporated in the presence of Christen; Tobin forgets why she was ever anxious of seeing her again as she’s clinging onto her. When Tobin lets her go, she doesn’t let her go completely, her hand still rests on Christen’s hip.

 

“You’re sick.” Christen acknowledges. “You’re also insanely cute. I missed you.” She mumbles leaning in but instead of catching Tobin’s lips like the midfielder expects, she leaves a lingering kiss on Tobin’s cheek instead.

 

“Not fair.” Tobin mumbles, leaning in again and dropping her head onto Christen’s shoulder. “I want to kiss you.” She mumbles out again feebly.

 

“I will, when you’re not sick.” Christen confirms, running a hand up and down Tobin’s back. “Hey, did I ever tell you I make wonderful chicken noodle soup?” She asks leading Tobin to shake her head.

 

“I’ll be the judge of that.” The midfielder smirks as she leans back and wraps one hand around Christen’s suitcase before extending her other hand for Christen to take. “How was New York?” Tobin asks as they head towards the exit.

 

“It would have been better with you.” Christen shrugs.

 

“I do believe you owe me a date.” Tobin smirks suggestively.

 

“Save something for our anniversary Tobin.” Christen jokes, a gleam in her eye that Tobin doesn’t think she’ll ever get tired of seeing. “It’s good to be home.” Christen sighs happily, squeezing Tobin’s hand as the pair cross the parking lot.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what's up my dudes?! I'm back (again lol)

“So…” Christen trails off, walking around to stand at the back of the sofa, her arms draped over Tobin’s shoulder. “How was it?” She asks gesturing to the empty bowl, leaning forward so that she can look straight at Tobin.

 

“It was good. I’m impressed, Press.” Tobin replies with a small smile before she starts to laugh/cough. “ _Impressed Press_ – that’s funny.” Tobin coughs again, her cheeks turning red.

 

“You poor baby.” Christen murmured. “You’re really sick, aren’t you?” Christen asks bringing her hand up to feel Tobin’s forehead even though Tobin attempted to swat her hand away.

 

“I’m not that sick.” Tobin protests whilst jutting out her bottom lip for effect.

 

“ _Oh honey,_ you’re burning up.” Christen says stifling her laughter as she removes her hand, pressing it down into the back of the sofa. “You should get some sleep or something, I’ll just wash up.” Christen suggests, reaching over to take the tray with the bowl and spoon from Tobin before she walks to the kitchen.

 

Christen rinses the bowl under the tap, glancing over her shoulder as Tobin shuffles around the couch, pulling her sweatshirt further around her as she lifts her feet to rest atop of the coffee table before removing them and bringing them up to her chest before she scraps that idea completely and falls onto her side, burying her face in one of the cushions. Christen turns the water off before wiping her hands on her jeans and walking back into the living room to grab a blanket from the armchair when Tobin’s hand around her wrist stops her.

 

“Tell me about New York?” She asks, sniffling and breathing heavily.

 

“You want a bedtime story?” Christen asks, rather amused by the glazed over look in Tobin’s eyes. “Anything for you.” She adds, grabbing the blanket anyway and making her way over to the couch, sitting in the corner as Tobin shuffles further upwards.

 

Tobin lets her head fall onto Christen’s lap as the darker haired woman covers the midfielder with the blanket and begins to slowly brush her hand through Tobin’s messy hair. Tobin continues to sniff and cough,

 

“New York was great, the conferences were _long_ but I love New York, it’s one of my favorite cities…” It takes just a matter of seconds before Christen realizes that Tobin’s breathing has evened out, and when she does; Christen drops her head to kiss Tobin’s forehead before grabbing the remote from the table and catching up on the TV she missed, blushing deeply when within her slumber, Tobin shuffles around until she can take hold of Christen’s hand.

 

Christen drops her gaze back to Tobin’s head which in burrowed in the soft blanket and can’t fight the smile tugging at the corners of her lips even when Tobin starts spluttering in her sleep, Christen continues to gently rake her hand through Tobin’s hair feeling unusually contented in that moment, everything feels _almost_ too domestic, but Christen (even though she’d vehemently deny it) found the domesticity to be endearing, it had been a long time since Christen felt like this with anybody, when (despite Tobin’s currently useless immune system) lying on the couch as the other woman slept was the only place that Christen wanted to be.

 

Christen Press fell in love with travelling when she was nine years old and her family took a vacation to Cuba; she fell in love with the country the minute she landed; eagerly anticipating a world she had no idea existed, a country that she was about to venture into, a country that would open her eyes to a brand new world of adventure. Christen loves travelling, she spent so much of her first year after college graduation travelling around Europe and falling more and more in love with a continent she had spent most of her teenage years dreaming about. As much as she loves travelling around different countries; New York has _always_ been one of Christen’s favorite cities, she adores New York, it’s a city she holds close to her heart for so many reasons; for it was the first city that Christen travelled to when her parents let her take a trip without them and with her friends instead when she was seventeen years old. Christen ventures back to New York at least three times a year, to see friends, to experience being back in her happy place or, like the most recent time; for work.

 

Touching down in New York City; that’s how Christen feels when she’s with Tobin – there’s a warmth, a swelling in her chest when she’s around the other woman. Christen knows that Tobin could light up her life with a smile, and it’s the best kind of feeling when she’s wrapped up in the midfielder’s arms. There have been instances in Christen’s life that she thought she had met someone who would give her the same feeling as travelling did but that was never the case; either Christen tried to force the feeling or she imagined it was there when it just really _wasn’t_. There’s a difference with Tobin; Tobin makes Christen feel like she did the first time she took a vacation out of the United States to Cuba when she was nine, Tobin makes her feel an excitement bubbling in her chest, she makes Christen feel light, dizzy and ridiculously happy and Christen doesn’t know whether that feeling excites her or scares the hell out of her. Even if it does scare her, Christen knows she never wants this feeling to end.

 

                                                                                                         ****

 

It's a little after 2AM when Tobin jolts awake, coughing, spluttering and furrowing her eyebrows because she’s not wrapped up in bed. It takes her a few seconds to register it’s not her house, in fact, it’s not a house at all; it’s an apartment and it’s Christen’s apartment and Christen is nowhere to be seen. Tobin rubs her eyes, swallowing thickly due to her throat still feeling like she’s inhaled razor blades; the soft yellow of Christen’s bedroom light is still on. Tobin pushes herself off the couch and softly pads across the apartment in the dark, walking into the corner of the kitchen counter and cursing herself out for not seeing it, despite the fact that apart from Christen’s bedroom; the entire apartment is in darkness. Sniffling, Tobin appears at the bedroom door and notices Christen is still awake, a book in her lap, hair tied up on top of her head and to Tobin, she looks so fucking beautiful. Tobin sniffles again and this time Christen notices and is distracted from her book when she looks up.

 

“Are you okay, love?” Christen asks, placing her bookmark on her page as Tobin enters the room.

 

“I’m fine…” Tobin trails off, wincing at the pain in her head for a brief second.

 

 

“There’s some clothes on the chair, I’m going to guess you’re staying the night?” Christen asks and maybe it’s the illness that’s clouding Tobin’s coherent thoughts but she can’t help but think Christen’s tone sounds rather suggestive.

 

When Christen’s gaze returns to the book in her lap; Tobin realizes it is in fact her being disillusioned by being sick. Tobin grabs the clothes from the chair before making her way to the bathroom and instantly turning the faucet on and splashing cold water over her face to try and bring down her temperature even by just a little bit. It’s clear now that Tobin has completely lost the ability to breathe through her nose as she changes out of her jeans and sweatshirt that are drenched in sweat from her fever; Tobin grabs her clothes and exits the bathroom, walking back to Christen’s bedroom and dropping her clothes on the chair.

 

“You – you really don’t look good, honey.” Christen painfully smiles, placing her book down on the bed before she holds her arms out.

 

Tobin rounds the bed and collapses on top of the comforter, falling into Christen’s arms dramatically, sniffling and coughing as Christen runs a hand through her hair. Tobin lets her right hand rest over Christen’s stomach as she shuffles around until she’s lying comfortably enough and still able to breathe through her mouth properly. Tobin’s fingers grab at the book before lifting it up and thrusting it back into Christen’s free hand.

 

“What is it with you and bedtime stories?” Christen asks, struggling to stifle her laughter.

 

Tobin replies but her voice is muffled and incoherent. Christen nudges her and makes her repeat, to which she does. “It’s not that, I just like hearing your voice.”

 

Christen _doesn’t_ feel a blush rising up her neck to her cheeks as she opens her book again to the page she was on and starts reading.

 

“ _‘Cross over the road, take the first left and then the second street on the right, it takes about five minutes from there.’_

 

_I’m about to thank her but she’s distracted, her face breaking into a smile. I follow her gaze and see a blonde girl crossing the road towards us, blowing exaggerated air kisses. Phoebe laughs and waves, says, that’s Iz. Her legs glow brown against the ripped denim shorts she’s wearing, and like Phoebe, she’s pretty. Very pretty. I watch the way they greet each other, drape round each other, a conversation begins a hundred miles an hour. Questions are flung, returned, they pull their phones out of their pockets, compare photos. They snigger about boys, and a girl named Jacinta who Izzy says is an absolute fright in her bikini, I swear the whole fucking pool emptied when she went for a swim. This whole interaction takes only minutes, but with the awkwardness of being ignored, it feels like hours. It’s Izzy who looks at me, then says to Phoebe, ‘Who’s this then, the newest newbie at Mike’s rescue centre?’_

 

_Phoebe laughs and replies, ‘She’s called Milly. She’s staying with us for a bit.’_

 

_‘Thought your dad wasn’t taking anyone else in?’_

 

_‘Whatever. You know he can’t help himself when it comes to strays.’_

 

_‘Are you coming to Wetherbridge?’ Izzy asks me. ‘Yes.’_

 

_‘Are you from London?’ ‘No.’_

 

 _‘Do you have a boyfriend?’ ‘No.’_ ”

 

“I’m _so_ glad you didn’t have a boyfriend.” Tobin interjects, looking up at Christen through her eyelashes. “Otherwise this would be awkward, you get me?”

 

“You seriously need to get better, your banter is so bad.” Christen laughs at her.

 

“I have _great_ banter, even when I’m sick.” Tobin weakly protests and Christen feels bad, so she humors her girl.

 

It’s not long after that when Tobin falls asleep for the second time that night and that’s when Christen decides to call it a night; not before texting Alex back after she sends a string of drunken-style texts asking if Tobin’s still with her. Christen settles down into bed, fully aware that within the next week she’s going come down with an awful cold thanks to Tobin, but she supposes she doesn’t mind. She switches her lamp off before lying down and letting Tobin curl into her side in her sleeping state.

 

                                                                                                 *****

 

Christen’s alarm goes off a little after 6:30AM and Christen surprisingly for her doesn’t want to get out of bed this morning, she’s more than happy to not open the clinic this morning in return for staying in bed cuddling Tobin and the way Tobin has wrapped herself around Christen; she thinks Tobin would probably agree to that too. Unfortunately; Christen knows she doesn’t have that luxury and instead her Saturday is booked solid with appointments and she should probably pull herself out of Tobin’s grip and out of bed.

 

She tries.

 

Despite Tobin being sick as fuck, she still has an extraordinarily strong grasp on Christen’s waist which makes it much harder for Christen to slip out without waking her up. Christen tries again and this time she realizes that Tobin is actually awake because the midfielder murmurs into the skin between Christen’s shoulder blades

 

“Stop moving, I’m trying to sleep.”

 

“I’m trying to get up for work, Tobs.” Christen mumbles rolling onto her back, smiling lazily when she sees Tobin with half of her face burrowed into the pillow, whilst looking at her. “Don’t look at me like that you’re going to make me feel bad for going to work!” Christen exclaims.

 

“I’m sorry, go to work.” Tobin smiles slightly, still feeling drowsy.

 

“I don’t have to go yet, actually, I don’t _even_ have to get out of bed yet.” Christen shrugs before lying back down, so that she’s inches away from Tobin’s face.

 

“Do I get a kiss now?” Tobin asks batting her eyelashes for extra effect.

 

“No-” Christen whines. “- You’re sick and gross.”

 

“You’re really lucky I already _like_ you.” Tobin muses, rolling her eyes as Christen smiles.

 

Christen does kiss Tobin, grumbling afterwards about how she’s going to have to deal with the consequences of being sick for the next week.

 

“It’s okay; I’ll still like you when _you’re_ sick and gross.” Tobin reiterates, amused by the scowl on Christen’s face. “Come here.” Tobin mumbles fumbling around under the blankets until she can rest her hand on Christen’s waist and pull her into her arms, nuzzling her face into Christen’s neck as she closes her eyes again.

 

Christen _swears_ she only falls asleep again for five minutes but the next time she wakes; Tobin is sitting up scrolling through her phone, coughing every other second and Christen rubs her eyes before rolling onto her side and poking at Tobin’s wrist causing the midfielder to glance down to her.

 

“What time is it?” Christen asks with a yawn as she stretches her arms above her head, she blinks a few times to have her eyes properly adjust to the sunlight streaming into her bedroom.

 

“Eight twenty.” Tobin replies tilting her head to the side and as soon as the time has left Tobin’s lips, Christen’s eyes are widening.

 

“I’m late!” She exclaims suddenly pushing the comforter off her (or she attempts to and in fact just tangles her legs in the sheet).

 

Christen stands up, stopping dead in her room as she searches for some clothes to wear and all of her work uniform. She runs her hand through her hair as she spies her clothes folded neatly on the chair where she left them the nightmare, silently thanking her well-organized self for making her morning rush (slightly) easier. Christen glances over to Tobin who’s lying down in bed again, scrolling through her phone and Christen starts to wonder whether she even needs a job because her girl- Tobin looks so comfortable in bed and that’s the only place Christen really wants to be right now.

 

“Have you lost the ability to get dressed or are you trying to do it telepathically?” Tobin asks, glancing over the top of her phone causing Christen to smile.

 

“I see you’re feeling better.” Christen says to her. “I’m glad – your banter last night was up there with my high school prom; it started off bad and just went further downhill.”

 

“Are you _just_ talking about the prom?” Tobin asks and Christen’s face flushes as she shrugs.

 

“I’ll let you figure that one out, honey.” Christen blows Tobin a kiss before crossing the room, grabbing her clothes and heading into the bathroom, starting a shower because hey, if she’s going to be late, she’s going to be late in spectacular fashion (but not too late).

 

By the time Christen is dressed, done her makeup and threw her hair up into a ponytail; it’s a little after 8:50AM and Christen has given up all hope of making it to work to open up, hopefully Julie gets in and opens up for her but with luck and no traffic she should make it there just before her first appointment of the day. Christen leaves the bathroom and turns the light off, swiping her jacket up from the back of the chair and noticing Tobin isn’t in the room anymore. Christen grabs her phone and slips her shoes on before leaving the bedroom and smiling when she walks through the apartment and finds Tobin kneeling on the floor, playing with Morena.

 

“Look at my two favorite girls.” Christen coos, placing her hand over her heart; her voice scaring Tobin who jumps back and causes Morena to back off, looking cautious. “Well that’s ruined.”

 

Tobin just smiles like a goof as Christen approaches her, not expecting Christen to wrap her arms around Tobin’s waist and sigh into her shoulder. Tobin wraps her arms around Christen as Christen continues to sigh.

 

“I don’t want to go to work. How quick can I catch your cold, I think I’m sick, am I sick?” Christen asks in a rush.

 

“You’re the one who went to medical school, honey, you tell me.” Tobin laughs ignoring the way Christen digs her fingers in at the bottom of her spine. “Okay – okay that hurts, stop.” Tobin draws out her laugh as Christen finally releases her.

 

“I needed that.” Christen sighs as she turns around enters the kitchen to go and feed Morena before she leaves for work, silently reminding herself to take Morena for a long walk when she gets home from work. “Tell me I don’t need a job, I don’t have rent, I don’t need to eat, please.”

 

“You need all of those.” Tobin says to her and Christen’s shoulders drop. “Just think – the sooner you go to work, the sooner it’s going to be over and the sooner you’ll be back with me.”

 

“I could just skip and stay with you all day?” Christen suggests but she’s already back on her feet and walking over to Tobin, gently resting her hand against the midfielder’s cheek. “Text me to make sure I haven’t fallen asleep in my office?” Christen asks before kissing Tobin twice.

 

“Anything you want.” Tobin calls out as Christen heads to the front door, Morena quickly on her heels.

 

                                                                                           *****

 

“You look awful.” Julie says with far too much cheeriness to her tone when Christen enters the surgery. “Oh – _oh –_ did Tobin come over last night?” Julie asks and Christen wants to wipe the smirk off the blonde’s face.

 

“I – yes she did – don’t even say it.” Christen grumbles pointing at Julie but feeling some of her resonating frustration disappearing in her best friend’s presence. “I’m so tired; please tell me there’s coffee.” Christen whines as she sheds her coat, throwing it over the back of the chair and wandering towards the back.

 

“Yes, I made coffee, you’re welcome.” Julie grins as she trails after Christen. “Okay, Moe and I were talking and we couldn’t decide if you and Tobin are in a relationship so clear that up for us.” Julie leans against the counter as Christen tilts her head to the side, a mug in one hand.

 

“Is that what you do in your spare time; discuss my personal life?” Christen asks, raising her eyebrows at the blonde as she pours herself some coffee.

 

“It’s more exciting than ours.” Julie shrugs as she swipes the cup of coffee from Christen’s hands and takes a sip.

 

“You do know you’re engaged, right? How is _my_ personal life more interesting than that?” Christen asks already leaning up to grab another mug down off the shelf.

 

“Tobin is a World Cup champion and she’s also – no offence – the first person you’ve dated in forever.” Julie keeps her gaze fixed on Christen who scowls.

 

“It’s not been _forever_ since I last dated anybody.” Christen grumbles. “I was in a relationship for a year not that long ago.”

 

“It’s been forever.” Julie reiterates “- Moe and I are just relieved that you’re not going to die sad and alone.”

 

Julie yelps when Christen kicks out at her ankle. “Hey – you didn’t answer the question; are you and Tobin in a relationship or what?!” Julie shouts across the reception as Christen heads towards her office.

 

“No comment!” Christen shouts back as she closes the office door, Julie’s laughter muffled through the walls as Christen places her mug on her desk.

 

 

“The wanderer returns-!” Alex shouts as she walks down the stairs when she sees Tobin entering the house. “- well you haven’t died which if it wasn’t for your girlfriend, I wouldn’t have known.”

 

“Huh?” Tobin lifts her head up, smiling when she sees Alex. “Shoot – I forgot to text you didn’t I?” Tobin smiles sheepishly as she shuts the door.

 

“It’s fine; we knew where you were anyway. You look better, or maybe you look like you just had sex.”

 

“Who had sex?” Kelley asks walking out into the hallway, eating a piece of toast. “Did _you_ get laid?”  

 

“I couldn’t keep my eyes open for longer than five minutes last night – what do _you_ think?" Tobin asks, kicking her shoes off and leaving them haphazardly in the hallway.

 

“Hey-” Kelley holds her hands up. “- Nobody said you needed your eyes to have sex.”

 

Both Tobin and Alex stare at Kelley for a second, opening and closing their mouths as they try to think of a logical response to that comment but when they draw blanks; Alex walks back upstairs and Tobin walks into the living room, flopping down onto the couch that Allie’s sitting on and swinging her legs over to lay them in the blonde’s lap.

 

“Your feet are _so_ fucking cold.” Allie groans looking up from her phone and turning to face the brunette. “ _How’s Christen_?” She asks, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

 

“Fine.” Tobin replies albeit a little absentmindedly, avoiding Allie’s obvious stare.

 

“Fine? You haven’t seen your girl in five days and the best you can come up with is fine? I’m guessing she’s not dating you for your wide vocabulary.” Allie teases but frowns when Tobin doesn’t seem to be reacting. “Hey.” Allie shifts her position and digs her toes into Tobin’s thigh. “Why do you look so distracted? Did something happen? Did you have your first fight because those are _always_ the hardest-?”

 

“I didn’t – we didn’t –” Tobin furrows her eyebrows and frowns as she finally meets Allie’s eyes.

 

Something flashes in Tobin’s eyes whether it is fear, concern or nerves and Allie is desperate to question her on it when it’s gone as though it was never there and Tobin’s smiling, reaching for the remote. “So, what did I miss last night?” Tobin asks; erasing any signs that she was on edge just a few seconds earlier. Riley trots in from the backyard and starts to run into the living room when he spies Tobin, leaping onto the couch and settling himself in Tobin’s lap, nudging the brunette’s hand with his head for her to stroke him.

 

“Christen’s got some competition.” Allie mutters under her breath, masking it with a cough as Riley basks in his favorite person being home.

 

“I love my boy in a totally different way to the way I love Christen, dude.” Tobin murmurs absentmindedly, too engrossed in the TV to notice Allie gasping and staring at her, mouth agape as she wonders whether Tobin has just realized what she’s said. “Close your mouth, you’ll catch flies,” Tobin chuckles leaning over and closing Allie’s mouth for her.

 

 

“Thank you Miss Jackson; bye Jessica, bye Roxy.” Christen waves from her office door as her second patient of the day leaves. Christen leaves the office, holding her notes in her right hand as she walks over to the reception desk, dropping the folder as Moe looks up from the computer.

 

“Long day?” She asks

 

“You have no idea…” Christen trails off, leaning over the desk and sighing when she feels a hand on her back and Julie handing over a folder to Moe. “I just need to get through these last couple of appointments, go home and take Morena for a walk and have a long ass nap.” Christen yawns as she flicks through her folder looking for the notes for her next appointment.

 

“Have you and Tobin had sex yet?” Moe asks out of nowhere causing Julie to burst out laughing and for Christen to stare at her, wide eyed, mouth agape and eyebrows furrowed. “What-?” Moe asks raising her eyebrows. “- I’m just wondering.”

 

Christen scowls, shaking her head and rolling her eyes as she hands the folder over to Moe and turns around. “I’m not going to even dignify that with a response.” Christen mutters as she heads back towards her office, stopping when she hears Julie say to Moe.

 

“I’m guessing that’s a no?”

 

Christen _hates_ her friends.

 

 

Christen doesn’t know how she managed it, but somehow she made it through the entire day despite feeling as crappy as she does. Julie and Moe don’t give up on the teasing, in fact, as the day continued it only seemed to intensify as thought they were having a contest to see who could cause Christen to snap first – spoiler, it was neither of them. Christen managed to refrain from slapping them from being a lot more invasive than they usually are. Christen loves them, she would give up the world and more for the pair of them but they really do need a better hobby than discussing her personal life at every opportunity – on the other hand, Christen could be entirely overreacting to the situation because she feels so bad today, after all, their teasing never bothers her this much usually – or maybe it’s something entirely different that Christen doesn’t want to admit to. Christen takes her key out of the ignition and gets out of the car, looking around for Tobin’s car that she can’t seem to find. Christen locks her car and enters her building, getting the elevator up and walking down the hallway to her apartment, she opens the door and walks in, fully expecting Morena to come rushing to her but she doesn’t which confuses Christen until she finds Morena lying on her bed near the window; sound asleep.

 

“What the-?” Christen mumbles as she closes the door, jumping when Tobin walks out of her bedroom. “What? How? Why are you here?”

 

Tobin laughs and scratches the back of her neck nervously. “You didn’t read my text?”

 

Christen frowns as she fumbles around in her pocket for her phone, switching it on and smiling sheepishly when she notices the message on the screen, directly below her sister’s, Tobin text her saying she’s waiting for her.

 

“Sorry?” Christen apologizes as she pockets her phone again, she drops her stuff neatly by the door and walks further into the apartment, wrapping her arms around herself. “What’s up with Morena?” Christen asks bypassing Tobin and walking over, kneeling down by the dog and stroking behind her ears.

 

“She’s tired, I took her out for a walk, well, I took her and Alex took Riley.” Tobin tells her as she rounds the kitchen counter, hoisting herself up and sitting down as Christen looks up at her. “I know you said you wanted to take her for a walk when you got home but you didn’t look good this morning and I figured you might not have wanted to take her and Alex was going to take Riley anyway so I stopped by – hiding your spare key under the welcome mat is so _obvious_ babe.”

 

Christen is at a complete loss for words. “You really did that, for me?”

 

Tobin tilts her head to the side. “Why wouldn’t I?” She asks, wondering if it was a good idea, she couldn’t tell by Christen’s almost emotionless reaction.

 

Christen stands up and walks across, stepping in-between Tobin’s legs and leaning up to kiss her twice before wrapping her arms around the midfielder. “Thank you; I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Christen sighs, her words muffled by Tobin’s hoodie.

 

Tobin smiles as she wraps her arms tightly around Christen, resting her head atop of hers. “You sound tired.”

 

“I am tired.” Christen confirms, lifting her head to meet Tobin’s eyes, pouting as her eyes water because of how tired she actually is. “I think I’m going to take a nap.”

 

Tobin says she’s going to stay up and watch some MLS game, Christen wasn’t totally listening when Tobin told her who was playing, too ready to just climb into bed and sleep until she felt better; which after she changes into some comfortable clothes is exactly what Christen does.

 

Christen doesn’t know how long she’s been asleep but when she stirs and starts to wake up it sure as hell doesn’t feel long enough because she still feels crappy, her eyelids still feel heavy and she doesn’t want to leave her bed but also she wants to go and be with Tobin so that’s what she does, even if she pouts as she pushes the comforter off her, rubbing her arms when she realizes that her bedroom is a little cold. Christen leaves the bedroom and finds Tobin in the exact same position as she left her, the midfielder is lying on the couch, the TV on showing either the same soccer game or another one and Tobin’s keeping her usual yelling at the TV down to mutters and hushed yells instead; Christen finds herself subconsciously smiling and biting down on her bottom lip. Christen crosses the room, noticing Morena is lying next to the couch and that Tobin’s stretching down to stroke her stomach.

 

_It’s not weird to feel your heart swell at how good your girl is with your dog, right?_

 

Christen hits Tobin’s legs causing the midfielder to switch her attention from the game to Christen. “Do you feel better?” Tobin asks swinging her legs off the couch and holding her arm out for Christen to sit down and curl up in her side.

 

“Honestly, no.” Christen yawns, “I think I feel worse.” She laughs quietly, smiling and eyes fluttering closed when she feels Tobin’s lips against her forehead.

 

Tobin seems to have turned her attention back to the soccer when Christen starts scratching her nails against her sweats; Julie’s words from this morning still ringing in the back of her head. Christen doesn’t exactly know how she’s supposed to bring it up, can she just flat out ask her what they’re doing or is she supposed to be softer about it, not that subtly is Christen Press’ talent; most of the time she’ll just say things without thinking, a product of her homework habit of speaking aloud back in high school and college.

 

“Tobin-” Christen turns to face the midfielder “- what are we?”

 

“People?” Tobin replies, her face scrunching up in confusion which Christen would find endearing if she wasn’t trying to be serious right now.

 

“Tobin – I – be serious.” Christen waves her hands around, trying to figure out a way to convey what she wants to say without seeming insecure.

 

Tobin shifts around until she’s sitting up straight, she looks uncomfortable wondering just where Christen is going with this.

 

“What are we?” Christen repeats “- Julie asked – well it was her and Moe because my friends have absolutely no boundaries when it comes to my personal life and I know it probably shouldn’t bother me but it got me thinking – and now I think it might be stupid – just – let’s forget it – watch the game–”

 

Tobin’s hand in Christen’s is what stops Christen’s ramble mid-sentence; Tobin’s attention is completely off the game now and she’s looking at Christen with a softness in her eyes as she rubs her thumb over Christen’s knuckles.

 

“Slow down, just tell me what’s on your mind.” Tobin murmurs and Christen takes a deep breath.

 

“Why haven’t you asked me to be your girlfriend?” Christen mumbles, it’s loud enough for Tobin to hear but quiet enough for Christen so that the insecurity and nerves in her voice can’t be heard.

 

 Tobin chuckles softly in response and that’s nowhere near the reaction Christen was hoping she’d get and she’s just about to go off on Tobin for laughing when the midfielder holds her hand up. “Okay, I’m sorry for laughing but I thought we were in a relationship?”

 

“What?” Christen asks, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

 

“I thought we were in a relationship.” Tobin repeats slower this time and Christen’s staring at her, mouth agape. “Allie’s been calling you my girlfriend for the last week so I just thought we were.”

 

“Huh.” Christen frowns due to how confused she is, her eyebrows are knitted together. “So – you’re my girlfriend?”

 

“Only if you want me to be.” Tobin grins and it’s that dopey grin that Christen adores.

 

“I want you to be.” Christen tells her, nodding as the smile threatening to form breaks out on her face.

 

Tobin reaches out and grabs Christen by the waist, pulling her closer to her so that Christen’s head is in Tobin’s lap and they’re both grinning like lovesick fools.

 

“Is that what you were _seriously_ worried about?” Tobin asks her, gently dragging her nails up and down Christen’s arm as Christen nods.

 

“It was stupid, I know. It’s just Julie and Moe were asking me and you never _actually_ asked me to be your girlfriend and we’ve had a couple of dates so I figured we weren’t but you’re _always_ at my apartment so I was confused.” Christen explains. “I sound so insecure, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to insinuate that you were maybe going on dates with other girls.”

 

“Chris, stop.” Tobin soothes reaching for Christen’s hand and intertwining their fingers. “It’s only been you since I took you out to dinner that first afternoon. I promise.”

 

“Pinky swear?” Christen sticks her pinky out and she’s being deadly serious about it; Tobin finds it so fucking adorable as she hooks her own pinky around her girlfriend’s.

 

“Pinky swear.” Tobin repeats as Christen sits up, running a hand through her hair before she kisses Tobin. “I can’t believe you thought we weren’t in a relationship; I don’t just walk anybody’s dog for them.”

 

“Morena and I are very thankful to have you, love.” Christen kisses Tobin’s cheek causing the dopey grin to play on Tobin’s lips again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when will tobin return from the war

“I told you!” Morgan screams bringing so much unwanted attention to the front desk of the clinic the following morning. “I told you Julie!” Morgan bounces in the chair excitedly as Julie and Christen exchange glances, furrowing their eyebrows before shrugging.

 

“Unless you bet money on this, I don’t know why you’re so excited.” Christen laughs slightly as she holds her hands up, backing away from the reception desk, taking the clipboard from under her arm and scanning through the medication list.

 

“You’re in a relationship, Chris, a real, life, relationship, with a really hot soccer player.” Morgan explains as though Christen hasn’t realized and as though it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

 

“Really?” Christen asks, tilting her head to the side. “Tobin plays soccer? I wish she would have told me.” Christen smirks, the sarcasm dripping from her tone as Morgan’s smile drops from her face and she glares at the vet.

 

Julie looks between both of her friends, stifling her laughter as she flips through the folder she has resting on the desk. “Leave her alone, she’s excited that you’re not lonely anymore.”

 

“I wasn’t lonely to begin with!” Christen exclaims, this time she’s the one to bring unwanted attention to the three of them. “Being single and being lonely are two different things, okay?”

 

“You were kind of – lonely.” Julie interjects, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth as she smiles sheepishly at Christen.

 

Pointing her finger at Julie. “Don’t you start.” Christen warns but the threat is empty. “I was quite happy to be single, it was fun.” Christen tries to defend her last couple of single years.

 

Morgan and Julie exchange a couple of raised eyebrows. “ _You went to bed at 8PM every night._ ”

 

“ _You bought Morena and yourself matching jackets._ ”

 

“ _You spent the entire month of November watching every single documentary that was on Netflix._ ”

 

“ _You made a Pinterest account._ ”

 

“ _You once called LA the ‘love of your life.’_ ”

 

“ _You were such a dating trainwreck that Moe and I gave up trying to set you up._ ”

 

“Okay, okay, I get it.” Christen grumbles shutting Morgan and Julie up for approximately three seconds before the both of them start laughing at Christen’s expense. “You can both shut up now because I’m dating a _really hot soccer player_.” Christen grins cockily, reiterating Morgan’s words from before.

 

“I’m engaged to a football player.” Julie reminds her best friend, flashing her engagement ring, grinning.

 

“Me too.” Morgan adds causing Julie and Christen to both come to an abrupt stop and turn around to face Morgan. “Okay, so he’s a college football player and it was one date.” Morgan explains, blushing bright red. “Please stop looking at me, Chris I can see you judging me – just go and do your job.” Morgan mumbles, her cheeks getting gradually redder the longer she continues to talk, she dips her head and pulls the pet accessories magazine on the desk up to her face to cover her; muttering when Julie laughs loudly.

 

“I wonder if Zach knows him.” Julie teases which results in an eraser from the desk being thrown in the blonde’s direction but missing Julie entirely.

 

Christen’s just grateful that the topic of her new relationship isn’t suddenly the clinic’s preferred choice of conversation anymore and by the look of it with Julie leaning over the desk and trying to pry the magazine from Morgan’s hand; she’s not ready to let Morgan’s date go just yet. Christen takes that as her opportunity to slip back into her office; dropping her clipboard onto her desk as she crosses the room to open the medicine cabinet and start looking through; there isn’t a lot of things that Christen doesn’t like about her job, except for industry and having to put people’s pets down and witness the heartbreak on the owner’s faces – especially when there’s children, Christen can barely look at a child if she has just put their pet dog to sleep. Christen gets lost in the medicine in the cupboard, signing off on the sheet on the counter, it’s a boring job and Christen would much rather be doing anything else but the more work she does now; the earlier she can go home. Christen is standing on her tiptoes as she tries to reach a box of injections when she feels hands on her waist which causes the box of injections in her hand to slip and fall (luckily, the box was still closed), Christen jumps, feeling her heart rate accelerate at an alarming pace before she turns around.

 

“You scared the shit out of me.” Christen grumbles, pushing at Tobin’s shoulder playfully, breathing out slightly shakily as she tries to calm herself down.

 

“Hello to you too.” Tobin murmurs, leaning forward and kissing Christen quickly.

 

“What are you doing here?” Christen asks, finally feeling her heart rate fall back to a relatively normal speed; she turns around and drops the box of injections onto the counter before brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I thought you were – I don’t know – training?” Christen racks her brain trying to think back to this morning when she _listened_ to Tobin talk about her day and Christen really did try to listen but she hadn’t had coffee yet and was not in any state to be responsive to anything that got said to her.

 

“I was but it’s over and I’m bored.” Tobin juts out her bottom lip expecting to receive a reaction from Christen, which she gets, but it’s Christen’s laughter as she walks past her girlfriend and over to her desk.

 

“You poor baby.” Christen mock sympathizes “- I can’t help you, I’m in work.” Christen reminds her, glancing over her shoulder for a second before refocusing her attention on the clipboard in her hand as taps maroon colored nails against the plastic of the board, scanning over the words.

 

“You could skip.” Tobin suggests, walking up behind Christen and wrapping her arms around her waist again, resting her head on Christen’s shoulder as she looks at her girlfriend who is trying her hardest to keep her attention on the second list of medication; well aware that Tobin’s breathing against her neck is a slight distraction. “I was in the reception and it looks dead.” Tobin pushes, leaning forward and pressing her lips against Christen’s neck which causes Christen to swallow thickly, closing her eyes and leaning back into Tobin’s touch.

 

“You’re a bad influence.” Christen mumbles out, her voice shaking slightly. “I’m not just going to blow off work because you’re _bored_.” Christen coughs as she regains her composure, and by regaining her composure; she hasn’t and is instead just gripping the table as her knuckles turn white as she tries not to give Tobin the satisfaction.

 

“You’re thinking about it though, right?” Tobin murmurs, as though she can read Christen’s mind which despite Christen’s reluctance to admit it and give her girlfriend the satisfaction; that’s exactly what she’s thinking about.

 

“Actually, I’m thinking about what to have for dinner.” Christen lies, slipping out of Tobin’s arms and walking around to the opposite side of her desk and crossing through her list of medication.

 

“Liar.” Tobin accuses playfully causing a small smile to tug at the corners of Christen’s lips.

 

“What will it take for you to go away and let me do my job?” Christen asks, lifting her head as she drops her pen to the table.

 

Tobin cocks her left eyebrow. “A kiss.” She decides already walking around the table.

 

“I suppose I can do that.” Christen grins as she rounds the table and stops in front of Tobin. “Only if you promise to go away afterwards.”

 

“Romance isn’t your strong suit, is it?” Tobin laughs melodically as she places both hands on Christen’s cheeks and pulls her into a kiss not giving her girlfriend a chance to respond. “Luckily for you, mine is.” Tobin mumbles out against Christen’s lips.

 

“Lucky me.” Christen swoons pulling Tobin back in when the brunette tries to pull away.

 

“I thought you wanted me to leave?” Tobin teases, smirking as she digs her fingers into Christen’s hipbone. “Not that I’m complaining.” Tobin shrugs before pulling Christen in for another kiss.

 

“Chris we need – oh hello.” Julie laughs as she stops at the office door, crossing her arms over her chest as Christen jumps and pushes Tobin away from her. “No making out on the job.” Julie teases causing Christen to blush madly.

 

“What – what did you need?” Christen asks meeting Julie’s eyes, ignoring the amused glint in the blonde’s eyes.

 

“I need that list.” Julie points to the papers on Christen’s desk. “Hi Tobin.” Julie grins, a teasing twinge to her voice.

 

“Hey Julie.”

 

Christen hands Julie the list of medication and tries to ignore the knowing glance that Julie is sending her.

 

“Stop.” Christen whines pushing Julie away before starting to laugh before Julie leaves making a big deal out of closing the door behind her.

 

“Actually-” Tobin’s voice causes Christen to spin around “- there is something I need to talk to you about.”

 

Christen feels her heart start to race as she nods, trying her best to keep her voice from wavering. “Yeah, sure, what’s up?” Christen slowly walks towards Tobin trying to rack her brain for any clues as to what Tobin might need to talk about.

 

“I have to report for camp next week.” Tobin says and Christen furrows her eyebrows.

 

“Is that a bad thing?” Christen asks, hoisting herself up to sit on the table, swinging her legs back and forth.

 

“No, no, I like camp; I’m just saying I’ll be away for a week or so and I was wondering if you wanted to come to the game, it’s in Carson next Thursday.” Tobin doesn’t know why she’s so nervous about this, it’s not like Christen hasn’t been to a few LAFC games in the last few weeks.

 

Christen can sense Tobin’s nervousness and holds out her hand for Tobin to take, pulling her girlfriend towards her, Christen smiles softly.

 

“Throw in your jersey and I’m there.” Christen jokes trying to lighten the mood and erase Tobin’s lingering nerves. “I’ll probably spend the day with my parents because I think my sister’s coming home from Sweden this weekend and I’ll just drive to the game later on.” Christen starts thinking aloud, momentarily forgetting that Tobin’s stood in front of her, looking at her with a bewildered expression. “Sorry.” Christen laughs, scrunching up her nose when she notices Tobin staring at her. “My sister Tyler, she’s coming back from three months in Europe this weekend and I’ve missed her, you’d like her-” Christen frowns when she notices the smile dropping from Tobin’s face.

 

“Are you trying to make me meet your family?” Tobin asks and she grimaces the second she asks it.

 

“What?” Christen asks, knitting her eyebrows together. “I wasn’t – what – why – is that a bad thing?”

 

“No!” Tobin exclaims. “It’s not a bad thing, no, that came out wrong, it’s just the last time I met my girlfriend’s parents it ended _badly_. I got stuck into the middle of her arguing with her parents over me and it was awkward but I couldn’t leave so I had to listen to my girlfriend scream at her parents that it was her life.”

 

Christen has to stifle her laughter. “I promise you, when you want to meet my parents there will be no arguing, unless there’s a game on and then my dad and Channing will be at each other’s throats.”

 

“I can handle that.” Tobin shrugs, although there’s a confident twinge to her tone. “If your family is anything like you, I’m sure I’m going to love them.”

 

Christen’s heart feels like it skips a beat. “I know my mom will adore you, just as much as I do.” Christen murmurs, wrapping her arms around Tobin’s neck. “Damnit.” Christen suddenly mutters. “I don’t know _how_ you did it but now I want to blow off work.”

 

Tobin laughs before kissing Christen. “Don’t do that, I’m pretty sure Julie would come for my head. I’ll just see you after work.”

 

“My apartment?” Christen asks.

 

“I won’t be there, I’ll text you a time and place.” Tobin smiles, knitting her eyebrows together as she pieces together a plan on the spot. “I’ll see you later, love.” Tobin steals one last kiss before she’s out of the office.

 

“Young love.” Julie sighs, walking into Christen’s view. “It’s so sickly and gross, when you get to the arguing over what to watch on Netflix stage – give me a call.”

 

Christen just rolls her eyes before hopping off the table and walking back out into the reception.

 

                                                                                                         *****

 

Christen has only just got back to her apartment when she hears her phone in her jean jacket pocket. She pushes open her apartment door, kneeling down as Morena comes bounding towards her; she scratches behind her ears as she pulls her phone from her pocket.

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_7:30PM_

 

Christen stares at her phone until another text comes through and it’s just coordinates.

 

**[Christen Press]**

 

_Coordinates, seriously?_

 

**[Tobin Heath]**

 

_Yes._

 

Christen frowns, focusing on the coordinates and wondering just where Tobin is taking her or what she has planned, it all seems too ominous. It’s a little after 5PM so Christen tries not to overthink the coordinates so much and takes Morena for a long walk, trying to relax, she’s not overly worried about what Tobin has planned because she doubts that Tobin would have had enough time to come up with an eerie plan, if anything, she’s only slightly anxious. After taking Morena for a walk and feeding her, Christen sits on the couch and tries to decipher the coordinates; it doesn’t take her as long as she initially thought it was; one quick Google search later and she’s heading to Venice Beach in less than two hours.

 

Christen doesn’t even question it.

 

Forty-five minutes later and she’s all but ready, she’s walking through her apartment; one shoe in her hand and the other on her foot as she looks for her car keys, she finds them in the kitchen and tries to keep her balance as she slips her other shoe on.

 

“Okay baby girl, be good and I’ll be home later.” Christen calls out to Morena who trots behind her and to the door; Christen spins, kneels down and hugs her before leaving the apartment. She leaves the building and gets into her car, driving to Venice Beach; the radio is on low as Christen taps along to the tune, maroon colored nails tapping against the steering wheel as she deals with (late) rush hour traffic on the way.

 

It’s a little after 7:30PM when Christen finally arrives; she gets out of her car and locks the door before walking down towards the boardwalk; she’s got her phone out ready to text Tobin when she swears she hears Kelley screaming; looking up, she’s right. In fact, it’s not just Kelley she sees, she sees Alex, Allie, Ashlyn, Ali and their kids and she’s wondering what’s going on when she feels a pair of hands covering her eyes.

 

“Guess who?” Tobin whispers in her ear.

 

“If this isn’t Blake Lively I’m going to be so disappointed.” Christen teases, spinning and coming face to face with Tobin.

 

“Ouch.” Tobin frowns placing her hand over her heart. “That hurt, Press.”

 

Christen humors her girlfriend. “You said guess?”

 

Tobin just shakes her head, laughing.

 

“So, what’s actually going on?” Christen asks turning around again and focusing on her friends who are already down on the beach.

 

“There’s a fireworks display tonight and everyone wanted to come out to watch it and I didn’t want to be the lonely one.” Tobin explains, slipping her hand into Christen’s. “I also just wanted to spend as much time with you before we all leave for camp.”

 

“Who’s going to camp?” Christen asks as the pair walk down towards the beach to join up with everybody.

 

“Me, Alex, KO and Allie; Ash would be but she’s injured.” Tobin rifles off. “Ethan isn’t happy because usually he gets to spend a few days with Ash when she’s in camp and he’s made Ash know just how _upset_ he is that she’s injured.”

 

“Hey Chris!” Kelley shouts from where she’s lying in the sand; Olivia sat on her back as Ethan tries to wrestle her further into the ground, groaning when Ethan puts her into a (loose) headlock. “Tobin never told us you were coming, okay, Ethan dude, that’s enough; let me live.”

 

Ethan thinks about it but when he catches Ali’s stern gaze; he lets Kelley go and helps Olivia off Kelley’s back allowing the defender to finally get back to her feet.

 

“I didn’t know I was coming until a couple of hours ago.” Christen explains with a shrug as she walks to Kelley to give her a hug. “Tobin sprung it on me.” Christen adds, looking over her shoulder and smiling at Tobin.

 

“Hi.” Olivia walks up to Christen. “You’re Tobin’s girlfriend, right?”

 

“I am.” Christen replies with a warm smile.

 

“Do you love Tobin?” Olivia asks causing both Tobin and Christen to blush and for Ali to come up behind Olivia and place her hands on her daughter’s shoulders.

 

“That’s enough questions, Liv.” Ali tries to pull Olivia away but the five year old is pretty persistent.

 

“I like Tobin.” Christen replies nodding towards Ali to tell her she’s okay with answering whatever questions Olivia asks.

 

“You don’t love her?” Olivia asks, her eyes widening. “Poor Tobin.” She pouts, jutting out her bottom lip; Kelley’s laughter can be heard from behind Christen.

 

“I think – that one day I will love Tobin.” Christen lowers her voice. “I like her a lot.”

 

“Okay.” Olivia nods, sufficed with Christen’s answer.

 

Christen turns around just as Tobin reaches her, the midfielder slipping her arm around Christen’s waist and pulling her into her side. “You looked really cute.”

 

“Looked? Are you saying I don’t look cute all the time?” Christen teases, nudging Tobin’s shoulder in a playful manner.

 

“I meant with Liv.” Tobin continues. “So, you like me, huh?”

 

“I mean, I tolerate you.” Christen shrugs, playing it off coolly. “I think you’re okay.”

 

“You’re real funny.” Tobin deadpans but before she can say anything else; Christen is kissing her quickly.

 

 

The fireworks start a little after 8PM; Christen and Ali sit on the boardwalk, Olivia sitting in-between them, too engrossed in the fireworks to pay attention to the conversation that Christen and Ali are having.

 

“I’ve known Tobin for years, I played with her on the national team back when I played and I seriously love her like a little sister, I think that came around because Ash and Tobin always had a sibling-like relationship; Ash always looked out for her and the other way around, going back to their college days.” Ali explains. “I’ve seen Tobin date some – _interesting women_ – but she’s never been like this, if I’m being honest, which I am, _we_ never thought we’d see Tobin like this with somebody again.”

 

“What do you mean?” Christen asks, meeting Ali’s eyes and swallowing thickly as she notices a flash of hurt in Ali’s eyes though it’s gone so quickly that Christen thinks she may have imagined it.

 

“Back when Tobin played in France; she left as a player who needed a new experience, she needed to play overseas to find her love for soccer again but when she returned, something was bothering her but she wouldn’t tell any of us but we knew there was something up because you could see it in her eyes, something was missing.” Ali sighs, running a hand through her hair. “It took us weeks to break Tobin down and finally get her to admit what was happening, I’m not going to tell you because I feel like that is something that Tobin will have to tell you but I will tell you this; what happened in Paris screwed her over and she closed off so much so I guess I’m just saying that Tobin _really_ likes you but she’s also still overcoming that hurt and patience will be key.”

 

“I like her; I want this to work between us.” Christen says determinedly. “I’m willing to be as patient as she needs me to be.”

 

“ _You’re_ exactly who she needs.” Ali smiles, nudging Christen’s shoulder, “- it helps that you two look really cute together.”

 

Laughter is what draws both women’s attention back to the beach; Tobin is running around the beach, Ethan on her back with his arms wrapped tightly around her, he’s laughing loudly.

 

“She’s also really good with kids.” Ali adds with a not-so-subtle smirk.

 

 

Ali and Ash are the first to leave after Olivia falls asleep in Ali’s lap. Ethan wraps his arms around Tobin’s waist tightly,

 

“Ma said we might be able to come out for the friendly, isn’t that cool?” Ethan grins looking up at Tobin. “But mom said we can only come if I do all my homework and eat my veggies.” Ethan pulls a disgusted face causing Tobin to laugh.

 

“Buddy, I want you at the game, you’re my number one fan so what are you going to do?” Tobin asks him.

 

“Do my homework and eat my veggies!” Ethan exclaims, burrowing his face in Tobin’s shirt as Tobin hugs him.

 

“That’s my boy.” Tobin kisses Ethan’s forehead before letting him go to go and hug Kelley, Alex and Allie.

 

“Number one fan, huh?” Christen wonders, sliding up beside Tobin.

 

“Oh yeah – Ethan stole that title the very first time he saw me play, you’re not stealing that title from him anytime soon.” Tobin smiles, it’s not a smirk and it’s not her usual dopey grin; it’s a warm, fond smile that Christen hasn’t seen before.

 

“He means a lot to you, right?” Christen asks seriously. “Both of them, Ethan and Olivia?”

 

“They mean the world to me, I was the first person that Ash told when Ali was pregnant with Ethan and even before he was born, I just knew I loved that kid. I love them both more than anything.” Tobin explains; her voice warm and gentle. “It would be the same if they had another kid or Allie had a kid or when Kel and Alex finally sort their shit out and have their own child, I’d love all of them.”

 

Christen’s heart swells with every word Tobin says and before Tobin can say another word, Christen has her hand around the back of Tobin’s neck and she’s pulling her in for a kiss.

 

“Oh – and on Kelley and Alex? That will never fucking happen.” Christen laughs. “Those two have been dancing around their feelings way too long.”

 

“Fifty bucks says it’ll happen before the season ends?” Tobin bets immediately.

 

“ _Oh, you’re on_.” Christen holds her hand out for Tobin to shake. “Get ready to pay up.”

 

“I look forward to my money.” Tobin smirks.

 

“Me too.” Christen smiles sweetly.

 

                                                                                               *****

 

Christen is sitting on Tobin’s bed as Tobin rushes around her room trying to find everything she needs to pack before she has to leave.

 

“I told you to pack two days ago.” Christen reminds her for the third time in the last fifteen minutes. “If you had listened to me then you wouldn’t be rushing.”

 

“Are you just going to complain about my lack of organizational skills?” Tobin asks, sending Christen a quick glance over her shoulders.

 

“Yes.” Christen replies, leaning back in the abundance of pillows and cushions on Tobin’s bed. “Hey – I’m going to miss you.”

 

Tobin stops, a t-shirt in her hand as she turns around to face Christen. “I’ll miss you too.”

 

“I know we’ve done the whole away game thing before but camp is what? A week?” Christen frowns trying to remember how long Tobin’s going to be away for.

 

“You’re going to see me on Thursday?” Tobin reminds Christen, scrunching up her face as she tosses the t-shirt in the general direction of her suitcase. “It’s only what? Four or five days.” Tobin continues, albeit it absentmindedly as she continues to rush around her room to finish packing before Alex barges into her room and tells her that they’re leaving.

 

“I know that, but for the last week or so we’ve spent every day together; it will just take some getting used to again.” Christen rings together her hands before playing with the hem of her t-shirt.

 

“Hey-” Tobin’s stopped rushing now and she’s standing in front of Christen, reaching down to take hold of her hand to stop her pulling at her shirt, their fingers are intertwined. “- are you sure that’s the real reason?”

 

Christen hesitates. “It’s just me overreacting, I just, we weren’t _together_ the last time you played away from LA.”

 

Tobin nods, already knowing where Christen seems to be heading with this. “Chris, hey, I told you, it’s only been _you_ since that first afternoon.”

 

“I know-” Christen starts but Tobin shakes her head.

 

“- Let me finish, please.” Tobin says to her, rubbing her thumb across Christen’s knuckles. “I know your mind might be going crazy with different ideas but I promise you that you have nothing to be worried about and yes this is the first time I’ve been to camp since we started dating but if you’re worried just call me okay? If I don’t answer at first, I will call you back but _it’s you,_ don’t forget that.” Tobin leans forward and kisses Christen’s forehead bringing a small smile to Christen’s lips.

 

“I don’t deserve you.” Christen mumbles.

 

An idea strikes Tobin, she leaves Christen’s side and walks to her closet, looking for something until she finds it; it’s white and Tobin throws it at Christen who catches it.

 

“This year’s jersey.” She says turning back around.

 

“Have you washed this?” Christen asks, her fingers tracing over the USA crest, fingers tracing the three stars.

 

“Uh – yeah you might have to wash it.” Tobin laughs, scratching at the back of her neck. “Promise me you’ll wear it?”

 

“I don’t know, I always promised I’d wear Kelley’s jerseys to games.” Christen teases though it was half true; after Christen gave up soccer after college; she promised Kelley whenever she went to a game she’d rep her ‘ _best friend, soulmate, love of my life_ ’ – Kelley still denies being drunk when she made Christen promise that. “I’ll wear it, just don’t tell Kelley.”

 

Christen places the jersey beside her before standing up, “Okay, you have twenty minutes before you have to leave and you’re nowhere near finished packing.” Christen started grabbing at the clothes on the bed and folding them into the suitcase.

 

 

With Christen’s help, Tobin’s packing is completed in under ten minutes and the pair are in the living room waiting for Kelley, Allie and Alex to finish packing, trying to ignore Allie’s screaming at Alex over losing something, that part of the shouting neither Tobin or Christen can understand. Christen’s feet are in Tobin’s lap.

 

“I talked to my mom last night, she _screamed_ when I told her I had a girlfriend; I felt like I was back in high school and I think she’s making me take Channing to the game with me to spy on you.” Christen laughs and laughs even louder when she notices the frightened expression on Tobin’s face. “I should reword that – yeah, I can’t reword that but Channing is really nice, it’s probably Tyler you should be scared of.”

 

“You’re not making this _any_ better, Chris.” Tobin laughs nervously. “I swear if the next thing you say is your dad had to be bailed out of jail for punching an ex who hurt you-”

 

“Now that you mention it, there was this one ex-” Christen teases before starting to laugh and wrapping her arms around Christen’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, I’ll stop scaring you, I promise, they’re really nice, they’re intense at first but whose parents aren’t when it comes to their kids’ relationships?”

 

“My mom’s intense, she hates all my girlfriends, seriously, she’s never liked one.” Tobin shrugs, glancing sideways to catch Christen’s expression as she tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, anxiousness in her eyes.

 

“Oh – that’s not good to know.” Christen mumbles.

 

“It’s scary isn’t it?” Tobin smirks. “I’m joking, my parents are super nice and they will love you so much.”

 

“Okay, dude, you ready?” Kelley asks as she’s walking into the living room.

 

Tobin looks to Christen who just smiles, “Let’s go.”

 

Christen follows them outside the house, waiting for Tobin as Tobin locks the front door. Kelley takes Tobin’s luggage from her so Tobin can pull Christen into a hug; Christen wraps her arms around Tobin’s neck, burrowing her face into the soft material of Tobin’s hoodie.

 

“It’s only five days, right?” Tobin reminds Christen, pressing a kiss to the side of her girlfriend’s head.

 

“Four days, it’s Sunday, Tobin.” Christen corrects, lifting her head and smiling. “I think I can live without seeing you for four days.”

 

Tobin nods, already lifting her hand to Christen’s cheek. “I think I can live with _that_.” She smiles at Christen before pulling her in for a kiss. “You better wear my jersey.”

 

“Betrayed by own best friend!” Kelley suddenly shouts, she (playfully) glares at Christen before Alex pulls her into the car.

 

“I told you, Kelley takes promises _very_ seriously.” Christen laughs as she waves to Kelley and blows her a kiss. “I’ll see you on Thursday, be safe.” Christen kisses Tobin again before she lets her head to the car.

 

Christen waves the car off as Allie pulls out of the driveway and starts driving away; Christen walks to her own car, reminding herself that it’s only four days and she can manage to get through four days before she sees Tobin again and instead she tries to preoccupy her mind with the fact that she gets to see Tyler for the first time in three months on Thursday, that should be enough to keep her mind _off_ Tobin.

**Author's Note:**

> let's play a game of how many stories can I post on here before I actually finish writing one, basically, this another one of my google docs and I wanted to do something with it, 
> 
> comments and kudos are always appreciated :) 
> 
> tumblr; leahgaltons


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